(ENG) D&D 4a Ed. - Mordenkainen's Magnificent Emporium

and their effects, so that it takes either studious investigation or actual use to determine what a particular QuaaI's feather token does. Quaal's Feather Anchor Level 12 Uncommon You produce a heavy iron anchor that is immobile and sturdy. Consumable 500 gp Utility Power + Consumable (Minor Action) Effect: You produce an anchor that cannot be moved from the location where it comes into being. The anchor persists for one year. Quaal's Feather Pigeon Level 16 Uncommon This feather turns into a messen8er pi8eon that awaits your instruction. Consumable 1,800 gp Utility Power + Consumable (Minor Action) Effect: You produce a small bird that can travel SO miles a day to unerringly reach any location or individual you name, carrying with it a small written message. The bird disappears after delivering its message. Quaal's Feather Sail Level 12 Uncommon With a wave of this feather, a sail unfurls from its tip, ready to be lashed to mast and ropes. Consumable 500 gp Utility Power + Consumable (Minor Action) Effect: You produce a sail that, once installed on a ship, can move it at a normal sailing speed even in the absence of wind. The sail persists for 24 hours. Sands of Restored Opportunity It is said that every grain of the sands of restored opportunity originated in an hourglass stolen by an exarch of Sehanine from loun's own chambers. One of these deity-scale grains of sand-the size of a small pebble-is able to negate an event that just transpired when it is cast into the air at just the right moment. As the cast pebble disappears in a flash oflight, a missed blow instead lands, an illtimed stumble is corrected, or a mispronounced word of arcane might rings true. If the tales about the sands are true, these specks will one day be exhausted, and the world will be left without recourse for misfortune. At least one cult that reveres loun believes that the expenditure of the last grain of the sands of restored opportunity will presage the end of the world. CHAPTER 4 I MaaicaI Gear Sands of Restored Level 29 Uncommon Opportunity You jlin8 this pebble into the air. As it jlashes and is consumed, time rewinds sli8htlY. aUowin8 events to take a new course. Consumable 105,000 gp Utility Power + Consumable (Free Action) Tri88er: The result (success or failure) of any check or roll that affects you is determined (for example, a check that you make or an attack that will damage you). Effect: Reroll that die roll, and use the second result. Scroll of Protection Many kinds of protective scrolls are known among the learned, but all function similarly. Upon reading such a scroll, the reader and the area around him or her become inviolate to some category of creature, as determined when the scroll was scribed and enchanted. When the first of these scrolls was made, it was easy to determine how large an area each one would protect, and it was easy to understand why the one who used the scroll had to refrain from making any attacks. Not so obvious, though, was the fact that allies of the scroll's user could attack from within the shielded area without causing the scroll's aura to vanish. The first warrior who inadvertently (2~~~~ \xh)~(9.~ ~t1 C%.K f~"t~~~ (I{ f;.} "-~ t:< 1: ~r.~~~ Scroll

discovered that fact will be forever appreciated by those who have taken full advantage of that knowledge. A more scarce version of these scrolls also exists, offering protection against magic. This protection is inviolate against spells and similar effects, but does not physically repel wizards and their kin. Scroll of Protection Level 5+ Uncommon You read words of power from this scroll that repel your enemies and prevent them from attackinB. Lvi 5 +1 1,000 gp Lvl20 +4 125,000 gp Lvi 1 0 +2 5,000 gp Lvi 25 +5 625,000 gp Lvi 15 +3 25,000 gp Lvi 30 +6 3,125,000 gp Consumable Special: When the scroll is created, it is tied to a creature type of the creator's choice: angels; demons; devils; dragons; elementals that have the air, earth, fire, or water keyword; or undead. Utility Power (Aura) • Consumable (Standard Action) Effect: You activate an aura 2 that lasts until the end of the encounter or until you make an attack. The aura affects any creature of the type chosen at the scroll's creation, as long as the creature's level is equal to or lower than the scroll's level. An affected creature takes a -4 penalty to attack rolls against targets in the aura, and the creature cannot enter the aura willingly. Ifthe creature starts its turn in the aura, it must use its first action to leave the aura by the shortest route possible, unless no route exists. Trackless Ashes When mixed into the debris of a dying campfire, a single portion of trackless ashes renders the tracks of all those who were encamped around the fire (including mounts) undiscoverable. A general in ancient times once experimented with the magic of trackless ashes, trying to keep the activities of his entire legion secret by mixing the ashes into the bonfire of the legion's main encampment, but every attempt at such broad effect failed. His supply of the ash ran out before he was able to learn anything conclusive about the maximum number of soldiers and mounts that could be affected. Nowadays, this item is available in one size only-an amount sufficient for a typical group of adventurers, plus any mounts or pack animals traveling with them. Using more than one container of trackless ashes on the same campfire has no apparent additional benefit (but that hasn't kept people from giving it a try from time to time). Trackless Ashes level 6 Common You dump these ashes into your campfire, removinB all siBns of the camp and of your pass aBe from it Consumable 75 gp Utility Power. Consumable (Standard Action) Effect: You pour the ashes into a dying campfire. After 5 minutes, the remains of the campfire as well as all tracks within 20 squares of it vanish. Unreadable Ink In both its liquid and scribed forms, unreadable ink is invisible. Although difficult to write with because of this characteristic, it is the perfect medium for communicating messages that must remain safe from prying eyes and curious minds. Any message scribed with unreadable ink must Vi L.L.J .....I co ~ ~ :J Vi Z o U begin with the name, title, or description of the r::r: intended recipient. Only that individual can decipher L.L.J the message, or even realize that a message exists on ~ the material used to scribe it. That individual can be 0 identified specifically ("Lord Blackwood") or generically ("the burgomaster of Watershed") or even by a broad statement ("the first half-elf who finds this parchment"). Unreadable Ink Level 5 Common You look at a blank folio, seeinB the hidden messaBe written there while others see nothinB. Consumable 50 gp Property When used, the ink is invisible to everyone but its intended recipient. The message's recipient need not be able to read the inscription, or even be literate. Due to the magic of the ink, the recipient understands the message as soon as he or she touches whatever material it was scribed upon. Vial of Darkness When the wax used to seal a vial of darkness is broken, the stuff of shadow trapped within it bursts forth to fill the area around the vial with impenetrable darkness. Although the darkness lasts only a moment, that is time enough for a clever thief to escape, hide, or launch a deadly attack. Vial of Darkness Level 5 Uncommon This Blass vial is filled to the brim with a black liqUid and stoppered with a thick Bob of dried black wax. Consumable 50 gp ~ Utility Power (Zone) • Consumable (Minor Action) Effect: Breaking the vial creates a zone in a close burst 1. The zone is totally obscured, and it lasts until the end of your next turn. C HAPTER 4 I MaBical Gear

CHAPTER 5 SURELY THE most danBerous items are those desiBned to deceive. Adrift in the world, they lurk like iceberBs in friBid seas. One miBht see a briBht axe or a fine cloak, never suspectinB the danBer that lies beneath such surface beauty. Artifacts are liars by their nature. They often do not appear to have much power at all, and yet they contain ma8ic of devastatinB strenBth. I have encountered too many in my time, and never has the confrontation ended well. Any artifact puts the scales out of balance. War leaders scour the world with their armies,fiBhtinB over the ownership of artifacts. Planes disBorBe their demons or belch Benies or unleash anBels to claim them. Friends and family turn on one another just for a chance at BaininB the power of an artifact. Yet when has anyone who Bained such a prize died happy? Urifortunately, destroyinB artifacts has proven . .. inefficient. Better that they remain unfound and inaccessible. I would say the same thinB of cursed items, but curses have proved themselves useful on occasion. Curses can afflict the innocent, of course, but rarely has a weat entity contrived a cursed item for such a shallow purpose, nor does fate tie itself in knots to twist dark maBie about an everyday object or person. No, every cursed item has its own story. It exists because someone souBht to punish another. Like artifacts, cursed items usually do not reveal themselves to superficial investiBation. This is because those who create cursed items often act under the mistaken assumption that those who covet a maBic item would not use it if they knew it was cursed. Had they any sense about them, those who craft curses would realize that an obvious curse can be more effective. Even the most avaricious learn to look askance at Bood fortune, but bad fortune seems as normal to them as douds in the sky. When a Bift or a discovered treasure carries an apparent danBer, a more insidious and hidden second curse proves most efficacious. - Mordenkainen, from a treatise in his master copy of the MaBnificent Emporium For the DM: This chapter is meant for the eyes of the Dungeon Master. Players are encouraged to avoid reading this material so that their characters can discover it through seeing how the DM incorporates artifacts and curses into the campaign. CHAPTER 5 I Artifacts and Curses

Artifacts Legends swirl about them. Kingdoms go to war over their possession. Generations of heroes die in their pursuit. Artifacts are the most powerful items in existence, essential parts of the world's weave and pieces of the story of the universe. ARTIFACT RULES Artifacts break the rules. They aren't normal items that you account for in treasure distribution, and you don't need to worry about play balance. They exist to help you tell the stories you want to tell in your game. An artifact can't typically be created, disenchanted, or destroyed by any of the normal means available with other magic items. The characters' access to artifacts and their retention of recovered artifacts is entirely within your control. A character can quest after a particular artifact whose existence is known or suspected, but even then the character acquires an artifact only if you say so. Similarly, a character can research a specific method to destroy a known artifact, if destroying it fits with your plans for the campaign. Destroying an artifact should require an extraordinary effort-artifacts are normally immune to all forms of damage or unwanted alterations to their form-and each artifact might have a unique means of destroying it. For instance, you might decide that to destroy the Book of Infinite Spells, one must cross out each ofits pages with ink made from the memory-stealing water of the River Lethe. ARTIFACTS IN YOUR GAME At a fundamental level, artifacts are magic items whose role in the game has far more to do with the story of your adventure or campaign than it does with the actual game effects of the item. Characters might buy, sell, enchant, and disenchant any of the hundreds of magic items. They might even quest after those items. But when an artifact enters the characters' lives, the story of the campaign revolves around it for a time. Remember that artifacts are always completely under your control. It's up to you when you introduce an artifact to your game, and it's up to you when the artifact leaves the characters' hands. Possession of an artifact is the one element of a character's capabilities that the character's player has no control over- it rests in your hands. Use that power for good- the good of your campaign story. CHAPTER 5 I Artifacts and Curses Use Artifacts at Any Level: Each artifacts is associated with a tier at which its powers are on a par with the powers of other items available to the PCs, but that doesn't mean you can't introduce even an epic tier item at an earlier level. The amazing power of an artifact is precisely why it is wondrous. So, go ahead and use artifacts even in a heroic tier game. Introducing an artifact at low levels can help the players see the grand scope of the story they're involved in. By the same token, an artifact for a lower tier can still be an interesting element of higher-level stories. Artifacts are significantly different from ordinary magic items of roughly the same level. Allow Artifacts to Do More: Artifacts will be more magical and mysterious if they do more than their rules describe. Allow players to experiment with an artifact and try to use it in new ways. There might not be a wizard spell to repair a hole in a ship's hull, and the Book of Infinite Spells might normally require an extended rest to gain such a spell even ifit did exist, but when the PCs' ship is sinking, it's a great moment if they can frantically search through the Book to find the spell and cast it. When and how such additional effects operate is up to you. Perhaps an artifact can exhibit such unusual effects only once per day, and then it becomes inert until it regains its power. Maybe instead such a use simply takes the place of a normal encounter or daily power of the item. Alternatively, unconstrained use of invented powers might be possible, but each use might have a chance of unleashing some disastrous effect. Tie Artifacts to Campaign Themes: Use artifacts to reinforce the story you want to tell with your campaign. If you want to explore themes of how power corrupts those who wield it, introdUcing an evil artifact that the PCs are tempted to use can help reinforce that story. Recast Stories and Goals: Add details from your campaign to the origin story for an artifact or alter its goals to strengthen its ties with the themes of your campaign. If restoring the lost glory of the eladrin is a goal of your campaign, you can use the Jacinth of Inestimable Beauty as a prize the characters seek to aid in that effort. This goal is in concert with the original intent of the artifact, which was to keep the eladrin realm strong and far-reaching. Wait Until Players Have Bought In: Hold off on introdUcing an artifact to your campaign until after the characters have completed an adventure or two and the players are fully invested in the story of the campaign. They should already know what's at stake and have at least a hint of the nature of the major villain in the story. With that groundwork laid, the artifact's arrival carries the appropriate weight.

SENTIENT ARTIFACTS You can treat artifacts as sentient items that have goals and emotions, if not an actual voice. Perhaps an artifact in the characters' possession speaks telepathically to whoever holds it. Maybe instead it tugs upon a character's conscience or it causes someone to have emotions or visions. If you decide an artifact is sentient, you can play it however you like, but if you want a system for how that works in the game, consider using the rules below. Goals As a sentient object, an artifact should have one or more goals related to the reason for its creation. A sentient lance made by a deity for the purpose of slaying Tiamat would obviously want to accomplish that goal, but it might also drive its wielder to slay all chromatic dragons, or even every dragon the character encounters regardless of kind or alignment. Concordance A sentient artifact's concordance score measures the artifact's attitude toward its wielder based upon the wielder's actions in relation to its goals. The scale ranges from 0 (angered) to 20 (most pleased). When a character takes possession of an artifact, it starts with a concordance of 5. (The owner's race, class, outlook, or other characteristics might adjust this starting concordance.) When the artifact is pleased with its wielder's actions, its concordance increases. When the wielder acts contrary to the artifact's desires, its concordance decreases. Other factors might influence concordance as you see fit. Concordance Artifact's Attitude 16-10 Pleased 11-15 Satisfied 5-11 Normal 1-4 Unsatisfied o or lower Angered Concordance Effects A sentient artifact should have properties and powers that function no matter what its concordance with its wielder is, but you can alter or add to some features of an artifact depending on its concordance. An artifact that is satisfied or pleased with the character who wields it might grant a new power, impart some lore, warn the character of danger, or otherwise aid the character. An item that is unsatisfied or angered might impose a penalty on the character, not allow itself to be put down or put away, lie to the character, or otherwise manipulate the situation so that the character does what the artifact wants, or so that the artifact can find a more fitting wielder. Moving On A sentient artifact moves on when you decide it does. A particularly mighty quest might provide a great finale for the artifact's presence-perhaps it must be sacrificed to complete the quest, or the final act of slaying the evil champion drains the artifact of its power, or the artifact just decides that it has other places to be and other things to do. Of course, not all exit points are heroic-a villain might steal the artifact for his own use, the artifact's evil might move the characters to seek its destruction, or it might move on when its concordance reaches O. An artifact that is happy with its wielder might choose a quiet time to go, leaving a more mundane but still powerful item in its wake. If the artifact's concordance is not high, it could disappear at the end of an encounter, communicating its disappointment in its wielder as it departs. An artifact that is displeased or angry with its wielder might choose to vanish at a most inopportune moment. In all my travels, I have never encountered any magic so pernicious as that of artifacts. Why the gods allow such items to exist escapes me, but mayhaps they are as powerless against them as we mortals are. Indeed, it is not uncommon for creations to escape the control of their creators. Ask any parentor any who have an apprentice. ARTIFACT DESCRIPTIONS Artifacts vary widely in appearance and the degree to which they hide or reveal their true nature. Some artifacts, such as Zax, Cloak ofKin85, are clearly examples of extraordinary craftsmanship; anyone can tell at a glance that they're something special. Other artifacts such as the Shield ofPrator present a relatively ordinary-or even defective-appearance. Beyond their physical characteristics, artifacts might reek of magical power, or the extent of their enchantments might be deeply hidden. However, fate often takes a hand in the winding paths that artifacts follow down through history; through seeming accidents or coincidences, those heroes and villains who are meant to find artifacts usually do so, even if someone else might easily overlook an ordinary-looking object with deeply dormant powers. CHAPTER 5 I Artifacts and Curses /

\ Book of Infinite Spells Legend has it that this tome is the spellbook of the goddess Ioun, dropped from the heavens into the world, and that it is the source of all arcane knowledge. Others say Vecna used the Book of Infinite Spells as his spellbook during his lifetime, and that he knows how any spell cast from it is used. Perhaps both bits oflore are true. The Book of Infinite Spells is a hefty tome that shows signs of its great age. Scars of battle mar its weatherbeaten cover, and the edges of its yellowed pages are blotched with every sort of stain from blood to wine to strange reagents. Yet no wound can ever do great harm to the book, and nothing can obscure the arcane scribbles and runes that describe its spells. Liquids spilled upon the pages bead and slide away from words and diagrams toward the margins. Anything written in the book vanishes unless it pertains to the spells inside. Fire cannot harm it, nor can even the mightiest titan tear out its pages. The volume's original title, if it had one, is long lost to antiquity. The name it is known by today, Book of Infinite Spells, is seemingly not a misnomer: Even a newly created piece of wizardly magic appears instantly in the book, its ink still slightly moist as if the spell had been penned just an hour before. What many-including wizards-don't know is that the book proves powerful in anyone's hands, allowing whoever studies it to cast spells. Book of Infinite Spells Paragon Level Openina this thick spellbook, bound in stranae leather, causes its paaes to flip in rapid succession. Artifact: Implement (tome) Enhancement Bonus: +3 to attack rolls and damage rolls Critical: +3d8 damage Properties • At the end of an extended rest, a character who studied the book for at least an hour of the rest can replace any attack power that he or she knows with a wizard attack power that is the same level or lower and of the same usage (at-will, encounter, or daily). Similarly, the character can replace any utility power with a wizard utility power of the same level or lower. The replacement lasts until the end ofthe character's next extended rest. • When preparing powers from a spell book at the end of an extended rest, a wizard can use the Book oflnfinite Spells to retrain any number of powers in his or her spell book, choosing from all wizard powers available and following the normal rules for retra ining. Special: A character can draw a particular wizard power from the book only once, regardless of which property the character uses. CHA P TE R 5 I Art ifac t s and Curses Codex of Infinite Planes This enormous book, the size of a small table, seems fit more for the hands of gods than mortals. Its obsidian covers enclose pages made from thin sheets of dull gray metal. Embossed upon or etched into the surface of every page are images both beautiful and horrific, and words in languages both rare and unknown. No matter how many pages its owner turns, another and another still remains, because the number of scenes that the book can depict from throughout the multiverse is truly without limit. The origin of the Codex of the Infinite Planes seems to be somehow entwined with the formation of the planes themselves. Certainly the book contains writing that cannot now be deciphered, but particular symbols in the book use the language of creationthose mysterious figures that runepriests now use to make their magic. Regardless of its origin, the codex appears in legend as an object upon which empires are founded-and one that brings them to utter ruin. Its powers seem to shift each time it comes to the fore in history, but it is said to have been used in eons past to transport whole armies from one plane to another. At one point a careless or inept user ended up bringing Garniax, the Indestructible Fiend, into the world- whereupon the codex had to be used again to send the demon back to the Abyss. Codex of Infinite Planes Epic Level Sandwiched between the heavy covers of this outsized volume are uncountable paaes of metal with a dizzyina array of imaaes of symbols inscribed upon them. Artifact: Wondrous item Utility Power. Daily (Standard Action) Effect: Choose a location on any plane, even a location that you have never visited or seen. You and each willing ally within 5 squares of the codex is transported to that location. You could choose "a king's treasure room," and you would appear in a king's treasure room somewhere. You could choose "a safe place," and you would appear somewhere safe, although it might be surrounded by dangers. When you choose the location, make an Arcana check against a hard DC of your level. If the check succeeds, the transport occurs without incident. If the check fails, the transport occurs, but disaster follows you. The disaster could be anything: an earthquake, a disease, demons appearing with you when you arrive, years of winter, or worse. Nothing can stop the transport, short of the will of a deity or a primordial, and even that might be surmounted by sufficient arcane skill (at the OM's option). Utility Power (Psychic) • Daily (Standard Action) Effect: Make a Charisma, Intelligence, or Wisdom ranged attack against the Will of a target from another plane. On a hit, the target is sent back to its home plane and cannot return to the plane you are in for 100 years or until the codex's other power is used. On a miss, you and the target take 6d10 psychic damage, and you are stunned until the end of your next turn.

Hammer of Thunderbolts The Hammer of Thunderbolts has found its way into many hands over the millennia of its existence. Many dwarves believe that Moradin crafted the Hammer as his original weapon of choice. Yet the legends of most other races attribute the artifact to the ambition of Kord, who gained his power over storms by slaying a primordial of tempests. According to such stories, the Hammer is the primordial's heart, ripped free from its body and twisted into its present shape by Kord's bare hands. IfMoradin or Kord did create the Hammer of Thunderbolts, neither seems to miss it. Instead, the weapon has cascaded through history from the possession of one great hero or villain to the next. Though it is certainly a weapon of nearly inestimable value in melee, the true power of the hammer manifests only when it is hurled at foes. Then the roar of the storm echoes about it, and some of these throws culminate in a radiating wave of thunder that flattens every creature nearby. Hammer of Thunderbolts Epic Level This miShty weapon seems made of mithral and adamantine swirled tosether, and lishtninslike lines of platinum crawl o:,er its surface. When you heft it, all your hair stands on end as if you sense the comina of a weat storm. Artifact: Weapon (warhammer) Enhancement Bonus: +5 to attack rolls and damage rolls Critical: +5dl 0 thunder damage, or +1 Odl 0 if the target is a giant. Properties + You gain resist 10 lightning and resist 10 thunder. + You can throw the hammer as a heavy thrown weapon (range 10/10). It returns to your hand after being thrown as normal for a magic thrown weapon. + This weapon deals 1dl 0 extra lightning and thunde r damage when used as a thrown weapon as part of a weapon attack. Each time you throw it, a peal of thunder explodes around you. , ... Attack Power (Th under) + Encounter (No Action) Tri88er: You hit or miss with a ranged weapon attack usi ng the hammer as a thrown weapon. Effect: Make the following attack. Attack: Close burst 1 (creatures in the burst); Strength vs. Fortitude Hit: 5dl 0 thunder damage, the target fa lls prone, and the target is deafened until the end of your next turn. Miss: Half damage. Jacinth of Inestimable Beauty A famous eladrin heirloom, the Jacinth of Inestimable Beauty is a large orange jewel cut in the shape of a flower and mounted in a brooch of gold. Long ago, an eladrin master jewelsmith named Immeral Silverleaf invented a way to use high elven magic to enhance the beauty and durability ofnatural gemstones. The magic gems he created were the wonder of the realm, and with each one he made, his skill and confidence grew. One day the dwarves of a neighboring realm unearthed a striking gemstone of perfect orange corundum-a blazing sapphire the color of fire. Immeral acquired the great gemstone from the dwarves in exchange for lavish gifts of his earlier work and promises of more to come, and then set about the task of creating his masterwork. Utterly devoted to his queen, he crafted a piece for her that would capture and reflect her beauty forever, which he dubbed the Jacinth of Inestimable Beauty. When the eladrin queen donned Immeral's jewel, all who stood before her fell under the influence of her beauty. Her realm flourished for many years, and she was famed far and wide for the aid and comfort that she provided for her subjects through the power of the artifact. Yet finally the long golden afternoon of her realm faded into dusk; her enemies grew strong, and the untold value of the jewel incited avarice in the hearts of the wicked. One dark day the queen was murdered by her husband, who was half-mad with jealousy because of the love so many nobles and courtiers held for his queen. The prince-consort was put to death, but the deed was done. The jacinth was sequestered away in the royal vaults, only to disappear when evil forces sacked the kingdom a few years later. As for Immeral, he never made another jewel after the jacinth. Since the days of the ancient eladrin kingdoms, the jacinth has appeared now and again in the possession of a series of monarchs. It is associated with gracefulness, justice, and prosperity ... but also with vanity and avarice. Any monarch in the world would be strengthened by mere possession of the jacinth, and yet all too often the owners who have come after the queen have become obsessed with continuing to add to their own splendor, seeking to gain ever more objects of art and other items treasured for their beauty. Scholars speculate that the jacinth began planting this objective in the minds of its owners after leaving the queen's care. It prompts this greedy behavior in them precisely for the reason of making them vulnerable to others who envy their exquisite treasures. In such a way do these items of utmost value change hands from time to time, perhaps destined to land ultimately in the possession of a great ruler whose appreciation of their beauty knows no CHAPTER 5 I Artifacts and Curses Vl IU « u...

bounds, and whose ability to hold onto them despite threats is just as great. So it is with the jacinth itself, which is said to gravitate from owner to owner in a search for one who can truly replace the queen. Jacinth of Inestimable Beauty Paragon Level A fiery oranae-red aemstone cut in the shape of an exotic flower, this dazzlinajewel is set in a araceful necklace of purest aold. Artifact: Neck slot item Enhancement Bonus: +3 to Fortitude, Reflex, and Will Properties • You gain a +5 item bonus to Charisma-based skill checks. • Enemies take a -2 penalty to saving throws against your charm powers and effects. Utility Power (Healing) • Encounter (Minor Action) Effect: Melee 1 (one creature). The target can make a saving throw against each effect on it that a save can end, and can spend a healing surge (or two healing surges if the target is bloodied). o Utility Power (Aura, Charm) • Daily (Standard Action) Effect: You activate an aura 5 that lasts until the end of the encounter or until you make an attack or are hit by an attack. While in the aura, creatures take a -4 penalty to the attack rolls of powers that include you as a target. Goals of the Jacinth .. Be treasured and worn by the most beautiful, graceful, and noble owner; urge an owner lacking in these traits to improve himself or herself. .. Reign in splendor and magnificence, adored by all. .. Celebrate and protect works of art and those who create and cherish them. Concordance Starting score Owner gains a level Owner gains rank, title, or nobility Owner has a Charisma score of 16 or higher Qwner does not wear the jacinth for a month Owner has a Charisma score of 10 or lower 5 +1d6 +1d4 +2 -1 -4 Pleased (16-20) The jacinth is enchanted with the personal majesty of its owner, and gladly reflects and magnifies its owner's glory for all to see. The jacinth's enhancement bonus becomes +5, and its owner gains the use of the item's attack power for as long as the jacinth remains at this concordance. ::r Attack Power. Daily (Standard Action) Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature in range); your level + 5 vs. Will. Hit: The target is dominated (save ends). While the target is affected by this domination, you can direct it to make an attack as normal, but only against a creature that has attacked you. CHAPTER 5 I Artifacts and Curses Satisfied (12-15) The jacinth is content that its owner is providing opportunities for all to see and admire its beauty. The jacinth's enhancement bonus becomes +4, and its owner gains the use of the following property for as long as the jacinth remains at this concordance or higher. Property You gain a +2 bonus to any skill check associated with ruling, governing, or leading a realm. Normal (5-11) The jacinth sees potential in its owner, but is not prepared to give him or her its full allegiance yet. At this concordance, the jacinth has the properties, powers, and other characteristics included in its description at left. Unsatisfied (1-4) The jacinth believes that its owner is behaVing in an ugly, grasping, or ungracious manner. It might entertain some small hope that he or she is a diamond in the rough, and if so it begins to make its prodding more and more obvious. If the owner doesn't show signs of improvement, the jacinth soon leaves. The jacinth's enhancement bonus becomes +3, and its owner loses the use of the item's aura power, until the jacinth's concordance again increases to 5 or higher. Angered (0 or lower) The owner refuses to behave in a manner befitting the jacinth's owner. The artifact seeks to abandon him or her at the first opportunity, and it incites greed and jealousy in those nearby. The jacinth's enhancement bonus becomes +2, and its owner loses the use of the item's healing power, for as long as the jacinth remains at this concordance. Moving On The jacinth is eternally compelled to search for the quintessential site of beauty, splendor, and wealth in the world. When the prospects of a monarch or some other rich individual exceed its current owner's prospects, the jacinth finds its way into the custody of a new owner. If the jacinth is pleased when it moves on, the previous owner gains a permanent +2 increase to his or her Charisma score.

The Shadowstaff Made from strands of congealed shadow, the Shadowstaffis the handiwork of a long-dead shadar-kai warlock prince named Amarethydd. One of the most powerful of his race, he is said to have entered into a pact with the very essence of shadow in order to forge a suitable implement for himself. Armed with the Shadowstaff, Amarethydd ruled over his people for centuries and exacted tribute from many realms. But in time, the deadly ennui that afflicts the shadar-kai overcame Amarethydd as well, and he faded away after bequeathing his staff to his foremost apprentice. That young individual was soon killed by her rivaIs,' and various shadar-kai wizards and warlocks murdered each other over the staff for many years before a band of human adventurers carried it back to the mortal world-where it has again changed hands several times. The infamous wizard Evard is the last known owner of the Shadowstaff He seems to have been parted from it under mysterious circumstances, and who or what owns the Shadowstaff now is a matter of speculation. Some believe that the staff abandoned Evard, and that the wizard is looking for the artifact and will deal harshly with anyone who tries to keep it from him. Others say that Evard bargained away the Shadowstaff to a powerful drow prince, who intends to use the device to further his evil designs against the surface world. The Shadowstaff Heroic Level This staff appears to be made from twisted strands of smoky black alass, but it's harder than steel. Artifact: Implement (staff) Enhancement Bonus: +2 to attack rolls and damage rolls, or +3 ifthe wielder is 11th level or higher Critical: The target takes ongoing 10 necrotic damage and is slowed (save ends both). Property While holding the staff, you have partial concealment and resist 10 necrotic. ::y Attack Power (Implement, Necrotic) • Encounter (Standard Action) Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature in range); Intelligence or Charisma vs. Fortitude. Hit: 3d8 + Intelligence or Charisma modifier necrotic damage, and the target is slowed and weakened (save ends both). Miss: Half damage. Utility Power (Summoning) • Daily (Minor Action) Effect: You summon three servants of the staff in unoccupied squares within 5 squares of you. The servants are allies to you and your allies, and act on your turn. When a servant makes a check, you make the roll using your game statistics. Unlike most summoned creatures, the servants of the staff act independently to attack your enemies, and do not require your actions. The servants must remain within 10 squares of the staff. Servant of the Staff Summoned Creature (minion) Medium shadow humanoid HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Defenses your defenses, not including any temporary bonuses or penalties Speed 6; phaSing TRAITS Shadowy Invisibility The servant is invisible in dim light. STANDARD ACTIONS , + Shadow Touch (necrotic) • At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); your level + 5 vs. Reflex Hit: 3 + your Charisma modifier necrotic damage, and the target is slowed until the end of your next turn. Shield of Prator The paladin Prator was a mighty hero of old, famed as a slayer of evil dragons and a champion of justice. The shield he carried through his many battles is imbued with the memory of his courage and selflessness. Prator fell during a desperate fight in Minauros, third of the Nine Hells, and his famous shield disappeared for many years, presumably taken as a trophy by some archdevil or pit fiend. About two centuries ago, the Shield ofPrator turned up in the clutches of a githyanki pirate defeated by a band of mortal heroes. In the time since, it has been reported in the hands of a different hero or villain every few years. From tales of its ancient history, the shield is renowned as a formidable defense against the threat of evil. In pOint of practical application, its powers and properties are equally effective against enemies of any alignment. As with almost all enchanted items, how the Shield ofPrator is used depends greatly on the mind set and desires of its current owner. Shield of Prator Heroic Level Creased and dented, this 1arae steel shield is emblazoned with the symbol of Pel or. Despite its appearance, it weiahs liahtly on the arm and almost seems to anticipate the next strike. Artifact: Arms slot item (heavy shield) Properties • You gain resist 10 to the following damage types: acid, cold, fire, lightning, and thunder. • You gain a +1 bonus to AC and Reflex while using the shield. o Utility Power (Aura, Healing, Radiant) • Encounter (Minor Action) Effect: You activate an aura 2 that lasts until the end of your next turn. Any ally who starts his or her turn in the aura regains 5 hit points. Any enemy that ends its turn in the aura takes 5 radiant damage, and until the end of its next turn it takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls against targets other than you. Utility Power (Healing) • Daily (No Action) Effect: All effects that a save can end immediately end on you, and you can spend a healing surge. CHAPTER 5 I Artifacts and Curses VI ru <C u.. r- " <C

Zax, Cloak of Kings The Cloak of Kings looks spun entirely from gold, and its hem and edges glitter with gemstones. It would be counted among the most beautiful objects in the world even without its intricate embroidery that depicts scenes of great castles in settings of natural beauty, and crowned and enthroned figures seated before their bowing subjects. The origin of the cloak is shrouded in conflicting claims. Dwarf scholars say that only one of their race could have spun the gold so finely. Elven legends tell of a star that fell from the sky, leaving a crater in which the cloak was found. Humans attribute its creation to various deities, including Erathis and Pelor. Regardless ofits history, the Cloak of Kings has become a dynastic relic to several empires. It has served a host of kings, empresses, dukes, marchionesses, and others ofless noble title. Wars have been fought over its possession, and legends formed about those who sought and won it from great dangers. The cloak knows itself as Zax, a garment of great power that deigns itself to be worn by someone of equally great importance. When worn by a leader, Zax communicates mentally to help settle disputes, warn of danger, and educate its wearer on the exploits of earlier rulers who bore the cloak. lax, Cloak of Kings Paragon Level This brilliant cloak of spun Bold is bedecked with Bems and delicately embroidered with scenes of weat beauty. Artifact: Neck slot item Enhancement Bonus: +4 to Fortitude, Reflex, and Will Properties • You gain a +5 item bonus to Diplomacy checks, History checks, and InSight checks. • When worn, the cloak sheds dim light in a radius of 5 squares. Invisible creatures and objects are rendered visible while in this light. Goals of Zax, the Cloak of Kings .. Maintain its status as an object of renown by being worn or sought by a great ruler. .. Make its wearer a ruler of ever greater importance. .. Avoid obscurity at all costs. Concordance Starting score 5 Owner gains a level +1d10 Owner is considered a leader of many people +2 Owner gains more political power (1/day) +1 O.'Nner killsa .rival for leadership (1/day) +1 Owner uses stealth against an enemy (1/encounter) -2 Owner disobeys a directive from the cloak -2 Pleased (16-20) Zax enjoys sharing the power and accolades of its wearer, and it offers greater protection in order to maintain that position. CHAPTER 5 I Artifacts and Curses The cloak's enhancement bonus increases to +6, and its owner gains the use of the following property and power for as long as the cloak remains at this concordance. Property Enemies that score a critical hit against you are blinded (save ends). Utility Power. Daily (No Action) Tri88er: An attack hits you while you are surprised. Effect: The attack misses you instead. Satisfied (12-15) The wearer has proved worthy of Zax, and the cloak becomes a loquacious companion, offering counsel on many topics. The cloak's owner gains the use of the following property for as long as the cloak remains at this concordance or higher. Property You gain a +10 item bonus to Diplomacy checks, History checks, and InSight checks. Normal (5- 11) The cloak is reserved and cautious with its wearer until the character proves or reaffirms his or her leadership potential. At this concordance, the cloak has the properties and other characteristics included in its description at left. Unsatisfied (1-4) Zax dislikes the wearer's attitude or believes the wearer is a weak leader. If the wearer doesn't change, Zax soon leaves. For as long as the cloak remains at this concordance or lower, it does not shed dim light when its owner wears it. Angered (0 or lower) The wearer is not meeting Zax's expectations, and it looks to leave unless a dramatic turnaround occurs soon . The cloak's enhancement bonus becomes +3, and its owner gains the use of the following properties for as long as the cloak remains at this concordance. Properties • You gain a +1 item bonus to Diplomacy checks, History checks, and Insight checks. • You take a -1 penalty to attack rolls and damage rolls against any creatures that have the leader role or that are leaders of others. Moving On Zax desires fame and to be borne upon the shoulders of greatness, and now it seeks those objectives elsewhere. IfZax is at least satisfied, it leaves behind a normal +4 cloak for its former wearer.

Itel11 Curses Cursed magic items were a mainstay of older editions of the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game, much to Dungeon Masters' delight and players' occasional frustration. Items that hold curses seem just like normal magic items. They are, in fact, perfectly useful magic items in their own right. Under certain conditions, however, the dark magic of an item's curse causes the item to fail or malfunction in some spectacular way. Cursed items should never be placed maliciously in a game or treated simply as a way to thwart the players. Such items can be a useful tool for the Dungeon Master, leading to interesting roleplaying opportunities and adventure hooks. ITEM CURSES IN THE GAME Each item curse described here is a quality that makes a cursed item of that kind seem as though it's another magic item of the same general sort. For example, a character might don a ring of the ram that turns out to be a ring of weakness, or purchase hero's gauntlets that are actually gauntlets of fumbling . A cursed item functions normally until its curse is triggered, and it becomes a fully functioning beneficial magic item after its curse is lifted. When its curse is triggered, a cursed item imposes penalties or effects upon its wielder that run the gamut from irritating to deadly. A cursed item looks and functions like a normal magic item, and it is the same level as the item on which the curse has been placed. Cursed items cannot be detected by any means; a character can use a cursed item normally- sometimes for weeks-until its curse is triggered. REMOVING AN ITEM CURSE A character can use expertise in magical lore to try to remove the curse on an item, but first the character must know that the item is cursed. Normally this knowledge is gained only when the curse is triggered, for there is no tried-and-true way of detecting curses. To remove an item curse, a character must spend 1 hour in study while the cursed item is within arm's reach. At the end of the hour, the character makes an Arcana check (hard DC of the item's level). If the check succeeds, the curse is broken, and the magic item functions normally. If the check fails, the magic of the curse lashes out, causing the character to lose a healing surge, and everyone must wait 24 hours before trying to remove the curse again using Arcana in this way. Once the curse on a cursed item has been trig- ~ gered and identified, the curse can be removed. Most iii ~ curses can be lifted with a successful Arcana check (see the Sidebar). You might also assign alternative methods oflifting the curse (which become known to an item's wielder when the curse is studied). They could range from bathing the item in the breath of a red dragon, to completing a skill challenge in the arcane foundry where the item was crafted, to taking the item to a powerful magical nexus where its curse will be cleansed. When a party undertakes a specific activity to lift a curse from an item, you should make lifting the curse a minor or a major quest. A cursed magic item can be destroyed with the Disenchant Magic Item ritual, but the curse's presence halves the amount of residuum collected. A cursed item can be destroyed by other effects that would destroy a normal magic item, including the attack of a rust monster, powers that specifically target items (such as diSintegrate), and so on. Using Cursed Items Cursed items can be placed in a campaign as an ad hoc additional challenge. A cursed item does not create the same degree of challenge as an entire encounter or even a Single creature, but any encounter in which an item's curse is activated might have an additional XP reward based on how much the curse increases the challenge of the encounter. Each item curse has a statistics block, just like a normal magic item. This statistics block explains the trigger and the effect of the curse, which functions in addition to the item's base powers and properties. When an item's curse is triggered, the curse typically stays in effect until the end of the encounter. Once an item's curse is triggered for the first time, the item's owner cannot be rid of the item until the curse is broken. A cursed item that is being worn cannot be phYSically removed. A cursed item that is being wielded (including an implement, a shield, or a weapon) can be put away on the owner's person, but it cannot be discarded. If a cursed item is removed by extraordinary means (such as by an unusual ritual), the item magically reappears in its owner's possession in Id4 days. The owner of a cursed weapon or implement can choose not to wield the item, but if the item's curse has been triggered, he or she must succeed on a saving throw in order to attack with a different item. If the saving throw fails, he or she must use the cursed item and must do so for the rest of the encounter. Curses are typically named for their most commonly found form. Many of them can be imposed on other items. The berserker's axe curse, for instance, might be applied to a greatsword or a scimitar. The periapt of foul rotting curse can be embodied in an loun stone, an amulet, a scarab crafted from a Single gem, and so on. CHAPTER 5 I Artifacts and Curses

CURSE DESCRIPTIONS Any of the curses described here can be used "off the shelf" or as inspiration for others of the DM's devising. Armor of Powerlessness This curse was first named in the lore of the fallen King Firah, who is said to have crafted armor of powerlessness as gifts and punishments for overly ambitious court wizards and priests. All masters of magic fear such items, and many attempt to destroy one when it is found, regardless of its worth. In addition to its normal properties and powers, a set of armor that has this curse Siphons away its wielder's powers. Armor of Powerlessness Item Curse You f eel a sudden wrenchinB as your mind and soul are laid open by the malicious maBic of this armor. Armor: Any Utility Power. Encounter (No Action) Tri88er: The wearer misses with a daily attack power that has a power source other than martial. Effect: Until the end of the encounter, the wearer cannot use daily attack powers that have a power source otherthan martial. In addition, when the weare r misses with an at-will attack power that has a power source other than martial, he or she loses the ability to use that power again until the end of the encounter. Armor of Vulnerability Enchanted armor is one of the most common forms of magic item craft, the oldest examples of which have been passed from fallen hero to hero for uncounted generations. But the rigors of combat- especially when other magic is involved-can taint and corrupt the protective enchantment on a suit of magic armor. Although some examples of armor of vulnerability are specifically crafted with the intent of tricking enemies into using them, most versions of this curse are found in ancient relics whose magic has become warped over time. In addition to its normal properties and powers, a set of armor that has this curse loses its defensive properties at the worst possible time. Armor of Vulnerability Item Curse As your enemies make their deadliest attacks aBainst you, you f eel the protective ability of this armor suddenly flaB. Armor: Any Utility Power + Encounter (No Action) Tri88er: While bloodied, the weare r takes damage from an attack equal to 5 + the level of the armor. Effect: Until the end of the encounter, the armor loses its enhancement bonus, and the wearer takes a -2 penalty to all defe nses. CHAPTER 5 I Artif a c t s a nd Curses Backbi ter Spear The shamans of the hobgoblin empire ofUshakak crafted the first spears bearing this curse with specific intent, designing them to deliver a nonharmful warning to anyone wielding such a weapon whose attacks were not forceful enough. Over time, the magic of the curse has been warped so that the consequences to an unskilled or unlucky wielder can be deadly. Backbiter Spear Item Curse In response to your botched attack, this weapon lurches in your hands, strikinB you instead of your foe. Weapon: Spear Utility Power. Encounter (No Action) Tri88er: The wielder rolls a 1 through 5 on an attack roll with this weapon. Effect: The attack ignores the intended target, and it targets the wielder instead, hitting automatically. Until the end of the encounter, whenever the wielder rolls a 1 or 2 on an attack roll with this weapon, the attack ignores the intended target and targets the wielder instead, hitting automatically. Berserker'S Weapon It is said that the primal power of the Rashena barbarians is imbued in this curse, though those people saw such power as a boon , not a thing to be avoided. Most warriors who inadvertently pick up a weapon bearing this curse have a different opinion-particularly those whose own companions fall to their accursed bloodlust. In addition to its normal properties and powers, a weapon that has this curse harms its wielder when an enemy scores a critical hit on him or her. Berserker's Weapon Item Curse A sudden frenzy overtakes you, blindinB you to everythinB but battle. Weapon: Axe or heavy blade Utility Power (Charm) + Encounter (No Action) Tri88er: While bloodied, the wie lde r is subject to a critical hit. Effect: Until the end of the encounter, the wielder gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls and takes a -4 penalty to all defenses. All the wielder's attacks using this weapon must be melee basic attacks or charge attacks. Additionally, the wielder chooses a random creature as the target of his or her attack each round. If the wielder cannot attack, he or she takes 1 dl 0 damage, and the penalty to all defenses worsens to -6 until the start of his or he r next turn.

Blood-Crazed Weapon The clerics of the noble god-king Garakun were poised to take their final vengeance on the crumbling forces of the necromancer Haylah when that dark wizard unleashed his revenge. The curse of the bloodcrazed weapon infected the weapons of Garakun's servants, setting off a barrage of brutality that eventually sundered the god-king's faith. In addition to its normal properties and powers, a weapon that has this curse must be routinely appeased by the death of an enemy. Blood-Crazed Weapon Item Curse Each attack with this weapon fills you with a thirst for venBeance that can be slaked only by blood. Weapon: Any Utility Power (Charm) • Encounter (No Action) TriBBer: The wielder scores a critical hit or deals maximum damage with this weapon. Effect: If the weapon is not used in an attack that slays an enemy before the end of the encounter, the encounter continues, and the wielder must attack the nearest ally before the end of each of his or her turns or else take damage equal to his or her healing surge value (save ends). Boots of Uncontrollable Dancing The crazed archmage Tigla created the first boots of uncontrollable dancin9 as a means of torturing servants who lost his favor, driving them to exhaustion and death. Lesser versions of this curse (such as the one described here) continue to plague enchanted footwear. Though these versions are less potent, many adventurers have suffered greatly from them. In addition to its normal properties and powers, magic footwear that has this curse forces the wearer to perform an irresistible dance. Boots of Uncontrollable Dancing Item Curse Even as you skid to a stop, your feet beain to move aaainst your will. Feet Slot Utility Power. Encounter (No Action) TriBBer: An enemy's attack pulls, pushes, or slides the wearer 2 or more squares. Effect: Until the end of the encounter, the wearer takes a -2 penalty to speed, AC, and Reflex, and he or she must spend a minor action each round to dance uncontrollably. Bracers of Defenselessness Many of the learned believe that this curse originated during ancient times when the rites for creating magical protective items were first crafted. The mispronunciation of a Single word during those rites created the curse effect, and the incorrect ceremony is still used by some to craft protective items. The curse is most disadvantageous to warriors who fight in the thick of combat. In addition to its normal properties and powers, a set of bracers that has this curse depletes its wearer's defenses. Bracers of Defenselessness Item Curse As your shrua off a hard blow in the heat of battle, a feelina of weakness overcomes you. Your enemies rush forward to test your laaaina defenses. Arms Slot Utility Power. Encounter (No Action) TriBBer: The wearer takes damage from a Single attack greater than 5 + his or her level. Effect: Until the end of the encounter, the wearer takes a -2 penalty to all defenses and grants combat advantage. Gauntlets of Fumbling The mage Fedhari ofKiza was said to have developed the means to attach vicious curses to the magic items worn by his enemies. The aauntlets offumblina curse is one remaining example of his legacy of dark magic, but it is rumored that even more devious examples of his craft still linger in the world. In addition to its normal properties and powers, an item that has this curse undermines its wearer's manual dexterity. Gauntlets of Fumbling Item Curse Your arip suddenly falters as your feel these aauntlets tiahten, sendina tremors throuah your hands and arms. Hands Slot Utility Power. Encounter (No Action) TriBBer: The wearer rolls a 1 or a 2 on a weapon attack roll or a Thievery check. Effect: Until the end of the encounter, the character takes a -2 penalty to weapon attack rolls and Thievery checks. In addition, whenever the character hits with a weapon attack, he or she must make a successful Dexterity check against a DC equal to the attack roll result or drop the weapon. It takes a minor action for the wearer to pick up a weapon dropped in this way. CHAPTER 5 I Artifacts and Curses

Necklace of Strangulation Though the origin of the curse remains unknown, the necklace of stranaulation appears time and again in history and lore, and it has played a dark part in the deaths of countless heroes and monarchs. In addition to its normal properties and powers, an item that has this curse strangles its wearer during combat. Necklace of Strangulation Item Curse The chain at your neck suddenly tiBhtens, resistinB all your at· tempts to tear it off as it chokes the life from you. Neck Slot Utility Power + Encounter (No Action) TriBBer: While bloodied, the wearer takes ongoing damage. Effect: The ongoing damage increases by 5, and the wearer takes a -2 penalty to saving throws. In addition, whenever the wearer takes a standard action while being subjected to ongoing damage, he or she takes 10 damage. This effect lasts until the end of the encounter. Periapt of Foul Rotting This curse was first seen in the spoils taken from Iti· mish, the Tower of Tombs, but its tenebrous essence has long since spread. A periapt of foul rottina curse inflicts a deadly plague upon its wearer-a horrific scourge that few survive. In addition to its normal properties and powers, an item that has this curse infects its wearer with a flesh-eating disease. Periapt of Foul Rotting Item Curse A stinBinB pain suddenly lances into you from this periapt, and the stench of death staBBers you as your body beBins to rot away. Neck Slot Utility Power + Encounter (No Action) TriBBer: The wearer takes damage from a Single attack equal to 5 + the periapt's level. Effect: The wearer contracts the disease foul rotting (stage 1). Foul Rotting Variable Level Disease Grotesque lesions form on your skin as your flesh beBins to loosen and your bones soften. Stage 0: The target recovers from the disease. Stage 1: While affected by this stage, the target takes a -2 penalty to Fortitude and loses a healing surge. Stage 2: While affected by this stage, the target takes a - 2 penalty to Fortitude, loses a healing surge, and grants combat advantage. Stage 3: The target dies, collapSing into a pool of noxious slime. Check: At the end of each extended rest, the target makes an Endurance check if it is at stage 1 or 2. Lower than Easy DC: The stage of the disease increases by 1. Easy DC: No change. Moderate DC: The stage of the disease decreases by 1. Special: The level of the disease equals the target's level. CHAPTER 5 I Artifacts and Curses Ring of Weakness When Bael Turath fought Arkhosia, magic rings imbued with this sinister curse were seeded among the tieflings, who would carry but not wear them. The dragonborn claimed the rings from the tieflings who fell in battle, realizing only too late the price of their looting. In addition to its normal properties and powers, a ring that has this curse inflicts a crippling weakness on its wearer. Ring of Weakness Item Curse Sudden and searinB pain courses throuBh your body from this rinB, makinB your every movement require weat strenBth of wilL Ring Slot Utility Power + Encounter (No Action) TriBBer: One of the item's other powers is used. Effect: Until the end of the encounter, the wearer takes a -2 penalty to Strength-, Dexterity-, or Constitution-based attack roils, damage roils, skill checks, and ability checks. Scarab of Death The warlocks ofBael Turath first crafted items bearing this curse. They were originally given out as "awards" to those who had been discovered to be traitors of the empire. Later, such items became highly sought after for use in assassinations. Rival nobles, jilted lovers, and outright enemies would give or send one of these objects as a gift, making it more likely that a hired assassin's subsequent strike would be fatal. In addition to its normal properties and powers, an item that has this curse hastens the demise of its wearer when that creature is at death's door. Scarab of Death Item Curse With a shudder, this scarab transforms into a horrible demonic beetle that tears throuBh armor, cloth, and flesh as it burrows toward your heart. Neck Slot Property The wearer takes a -10 penalty to death saving throws. A necklace of strangulation makes for a gruesome death, but it proves relatively quick. Similarly, the subtle scarab of death does you little harm until it suddenly slams death's door behind you. But the slow wasting and ultimate fate of the curse of foul rotting . .. a truly twisted mind devised this blight.

Shield of Arrow Attraction It is said that the elves of Chelwood first crafted this curse, placing it on the shields of their hated orc enemies through the use of stealth and dangerous magical practices. Items bearing the shield of arrow attraction curse are most commonly found in uncivilized lands, where people lack the magical skill to identify and destroy these treacherous relics. In addition to its normal properties and powers, a shield that has this curse attracts ranged attacks to the wearer with fatal effect. Shield of Arrow Attraction Item Curse This shield be8ins to tremble on your arm, 100sin8 a near-silent cry that draws your enemies' ran8ed attacks. Arms Slot: Any shield Utility Power" Encounter (No Action) Activation: The wearer is the subject of a critical hit or takes damage greater than S + the shield's level from a ranged attack. Effect: Until the end of the encounter, the wearer takes a -S penalty to AC and Reflex against ranged attacks. The shield of arrow attraction does not actually attract arrows. That would be too useful. Imagine wielding a shield that drew arrows into it when they were aimed in your direction. That seems far preferable to, say, the helmet of arrow attraction-to say nothing of the codpiece of sword attraction. I mean, where would you rather have arrows land? Unfortunately for those who wield such a shield, it merely makes you a more attractive target for those who attack from range. That effectively turns your whole body into the arrow attractor. Worse, the magic compels no one to shoot at you. So even if you wanted to draw the attention of your enemies, such as in some foolhardy and misgUided effort to save a companion, your foes can simply ignore you. However, if you can get a hated foe to wield such a shield . .. Stone of Weight This subtle curse was first seen in amulets and jewelry crafted by the royal mages of the tyrannical city-state of Rat hay. Some believe the curse of the stone of wei8ht to be indicative of deep flaws in the Rathayan mages' magical art, but others swear that this curse was originally deSigned for remote triggering, as a way to hinder the movements of enemies of the state. In addition to its normal properties and powers, an item that has this curse imposes a magical weight on its owner that slows that creature's movement. Stone of Weight Item Curse Aweat wei8ht su ddenly presses down on you, threatenin8 to hold you fast. Neck Slot Utility Power" Encounter (No Action) Tri88er: The wearer makes an attack that hits. Effect: The wearer's speed is halved until the end of the encounter. Sword of the Fallen First spoken of in the annals of the martyred King Hargawa, the sword of the fallen curse can strip away the combat prowess of even the most seasoned warrior. Whether a weapon bearing this curse has been corrupted by the lingering magic of ancient treasure troves or was crafted intentionally as a ruinous gift for would-be thieves, every such item has been the bane of countless heroes. In addition to its normal properties and powers, a weapon that has this curse loses its magiC while its wielder is in combat. Sword of the Fallen Item Curse VVhen you need it the most, this weapon's power suddenly fails, leavin8 you at the mercy of your foe, unable to break away. Weapon: Any melee Utility Power" Encounter (No Action) Tri88er: While bloodied, the wielder scores a critical hit or deals maximum damage. Effect: Until the end of the encounter, this weapon loses its enhancement bonus and all its properties and powers (except this one). The wielder can use a minor action to reactivate the weapon's properties (but not its other powers) until the start of his or her next turn. C HAPT E R S I A rtifacts and Curses

Story IteIns Story items are unique, named magic items whose creation or existence cannot be explained by the normal laws of magic. They are the province of myths, legends, and fairy tales, functioning as key components in the most fantastical of stories. Unlike traditional magic items, story items do not have levels and employ few game mechanics. Story items enable you to use fantasy effects that fall outside the normal mechanics of the game and allow for scenarios that might otherwise be impossible within the rules. A story item is designed to unlock one part of an adventure's saga and then pass out of the characters' ownership. How THEY WORK A story item requires a story obstacle-a challenge or condition within the adventure that would be difficult to overcome without the story item that fits with it, just as a key fits a lock. Invulnerable monsters, impassable portals, and dangerous spellcasters whose magic imposes permanent effects exemplify story obstacles that might require a story item to resist or overcome. A heart-shaped silver stone that grows warm and pulsates whenever Bloodreaver the werewolflord draws near is a story item. It interacts only with Bloodreaver (the story obstacle) and isn't generally useful beyond the current adventure or set of adventures, but it adds an element of suspense when the powerful lycanthrope lurks nearby. The stone doesn't give the characters any mechanical bonuses, or even necessarily require an area of effect beyond what is appropriate in a given scene. It simply alerts the characters to events unfolding in their vicinity when it's important for them to know. Adding this kind ofitem to a standard treasure trove gives the characters something to think about and investigate. The discovery of a story item acts as a hook, encouraging the characters to solve the mystery JACK AND THE BEANSTALK The magic beans in the story of Jack and the Beanstalk are one kind of story item. Their purpose in the classic story was to grow the beanstalk that Jack climbed to reach the giant's castle in the clouds. Although the beanstalk might require game mechanics (Athletics DC to climb, resistances, hit points), the magic beans do not; they exist only to transport Jack to the giants' cloud castle. Once the characters find or acquire the beans and use them to overcome the story obstacle (getting to the castle), the item's role in the story is complete.

of the item's true purpose-smoothly drawing them into the heart of the adventure. Story items aren't meant to last forever-an adventure or two, a campaign arc, or even a tier of play, and they move on-although, at your discretion, a fun or compelling story item that does not unbalance play might last longer. Designing a Story Item When designing a story item for your game, consider the following questions. What does it look like? A story item should have a recognizable shape, but what it does might not be obvious from its appearance. If you want the characters to readily discern what the item is for, use its appearance as a clue. If you want the item's nature to be less obvious, put a spin on the "form follows function" principle. For example, a dimensional gateway (page 118) in the shape of a key tells the characters something straightforward about how the item is employed. The same item in the form of a stick of chalk (for draWing the outline of a door) might not be as easy to figure out, but it'll be rewarding and fun when the characters do get the hang of it. What does it do? A story item needs to accomplish something fantastic within the story. In fable, myth, and saga, fey spells can put creatures to sleep for hundreds of years, genies can grant wishes, straw is spun into gold, an enchanted arrow slays a mighty dragon, a bucket of water destroys a witch, and so on. How is your story item meant to interact with its obstacle? What are its limitations? The characters should be curious about a story item and will try to find ways to use it, perhaps in a manner you did not anticipate. Although story items can be fun, make sure their lack of precise mechanics doesn't cause them to be abused. Reward clever thinking by expanding an item's utility, but if you're uncomfortable with the characters using the object for something other than its intended purpose, don't be afraid to say no. Always keep in mind that story items and obstacles exist NO ROADBLOCKS A story item should be the easiest and most efficient way to overcome a story obstacle, but it might not be the only way. Similar to failing a skill challenge, lOSing a story item or failing to obtain it is an opportunity to place complications in the heroes' path; it should not stop the adventure. However, in case the characters don't obtain a story item reqUired for the adventure's completion, you might present an alternate- perhaps indirect- game solution two or three levels higher than the party's level that does not require the use of the story item for success. only to make the game more colorful; they should stop short of granting the characters or the monsters unfair mechanical advantages. What happens once it has accomplished its purpose? Invent an exit strategy for a story item before you introduce it. Ultimately, a story item should exist until it has fulfilled its purpose and then move on. If the characters fail to use it, it will leave their ownership one way or another. This removal can be as simple as the individual who gave them the item asking for it back once it has achieved its purpose. Or perhaps the item's magic is spent, or it just vanishes. A character could even retire the object by placing it on his or her mantel as a memento of the adventure. Story items are as difficult or as easy to destroy as you want them to be. ITEM DESCRIPTIONS Each story item description consists of three elements. Story Obstacle: The challenge the item ties into or overcomes. Property: The manner in which the obstacle and the item interact. Form: Although a story item can take any physical form you desire, this entry offers some suitable examples. Blessed Weapon Story Obstacle: A unique creature cannot be slain until someone wielding the item harms it. Property: When struck with the story item, the associated creature can then be slain. Form: Blessed crossbow bolt, rune-carved sword, wooden stake. Box of the Seven Demons Story Obstacle: At the dawn of time, the god Tharizdun created a golden box containing physical embodiments of the greatest mortal evils. Before the other gods chained him, he used the box to unleash chaos and misery upon all that they created. Now the box travels randomly throughout the planes, its beautiful exterior tempting mortals' curiosity, and leaving horrors in its wake. Only one creature can own the box at a time. When its owner opens the box, a levelappropriate demon emerges and attempts to possess a creature other than the owner. If the demon succeeds, it forces the creature to exemplify one of the evils embodied by the box to horrible extremes, or else the demon simply engages in brutal violence. If the demon drops to 0 hit paints, it immediately possesses a different body or re-forms within a day and continues its spree. Each time a demon drops to 0 hit points, the owner can open the box again to release another demon into the world (maximum seven). CH APT E R 5 I Artifacts a nd Curses III ~ I.U I- >- a: o IIII

Property: When a demon from the box dropsto o hit points, any creature holding the box can command the demon back inside as a minor action. As long as this is done within 7 rounds of the demon's defeat, the demon is bound within the box once more. The instant all seven demons are bound within the box, it vanishes. Form: A beautiful golden box engraved with seven scenes of mortals enjoying romance, food, wealth, leisure, righteousness, friendship, and fame . Consecrating Altar Story Obstacle: A magical plague is spreading through the land, and a forgotten ritual of a long-dead deity is the only way to stop it. Property: Once the deity's last holy relic is recovered and placed upon this altar, the god's voice will recite the words to the ritual that will destroy the plague. The altar lies in a warded area, and the characters must overcome the three deadly trials of the dead deity before they can gain access to it. Form: Large carving of a forgotten holy symbol, statue of the deity's likeness, worn stone plinth. Curse Carrier Story Obstacle: An evil wizard or warlock either uses an item to place a curse upon one of the characters (or a nonplayer character the heroes know), or places a curse upon an item, which is delivered to a character. As the curse grows within the character, it brings on many harmful and horrific effects, and eventually causes death or some other terrible effect. The curse cannot be removed by normal means, and the characters must either kill whoever placed the curse, or find the item that caused the curse and destroy it. Property: If the curse was delivered through an item, then the item is no longer special (though it might yield clues to whoever sent it), and the only way to break the curse is to kill the one who enchanted the item. Otherwise, finding and destroying the item will remove the curse. As the curse takes hold, the cursed person has dreams that reveal details about the item and its location. The cursed character's personality also changes as the curse progresses, making that person work against the group in secret. Form: Enchanted fruit, poison garment, spinning wheel. Demonic Tome Story Obstacle: Demon-worshipers have discovered a profane tome and are using a ritual within it to open a portal to the Abyss, allowing demons to freely enter the world to sow chaos. The worshipers must be stopped, and the tome must be destroyed so this can't happen again. CHAPTER 5 I Artifacts and Curses Property: The ritual the demon-worshipers are attempting is powerful and takes time to complete. It requires the sacrifice of many innocents. To help acquire victims, the demon-worshipers used the tome to summon some minor demons, who have been kidnapping youths from the local area for those sacrifices. The characters can follow the clues of the missing youths and magical emanations of the powerful ritual back to the tome's location. Form: Codex, grimoire, libram, scrolls written on humanoid skin. Dimensional Gateway Story Obstacle: The characters must travel quickly between planes to complete their quest. Property: Whenever the item is placed upon a door, or used to draw the outline of one, the door opens upon a plane of the user's choice. When the door closes, it reverts to a normal door (or no door at all, if the item was used to draw one). This item is either usable once and then its power is expended, or it is usable within a certain time period (usually the course of the adventure). Form: Chalk (for drawing), doorknob, key. Fannigan's Dream Ale Story Obstacle: The characters seek hidden knowledge or they need to reach a distant location, yet they lack the means to make such a discovery or journey. Property: No one knows just who or what Fannigan was- a powerful wizard, or perhaps an immortal fey who walked in the guise of a human-but he left small casks of this special ale behind before he left this world. Those who drink of the heady brew pass into a deep, dream-filled slumber that transports them to any place or time they desire for eight hours. While they inhabit this place, they can gather information and speak to the dreaming forms of other creatures, but events and items do not carryover into the waking world- only information and communication. Dreaming characters might become idealized versions of themselves in their travels; this could be an opportunity for the players to tryout their characters at a different level of play, perhaps raising them to paragon or epic tier for the adventure (although experience is always awarded as though the challenges match the characters' true level). Form: Fannigan branded the casks of his dream ale with the symbol of a closed eye. The ale is thick and dark, and it appears to glitter with tiny motes of color when it is disturbed.

Instrument of Planar Passage Story Obstacle: The only planar gate to a location the characters must travel to stands closed and is guarded by a powerful fey creature_ To open the portal, the characters must find a special magic instrument and challenge the fey creature that guards the portal to a duel of music, outplaying the guardian. Property: The fey guardian is very talented, and those who lose the musical competition pay a heavy price. (Some stories claim that a powerful item must be wagered, while others say that the loser must serve the guardian for a decade.) Only someone playing the instrument has a chance of beating the guardian. Any attempt at harming the guardian results in a fight against the former losers of musical duels who are serving the guardian. Form: Flute, harp, music box, scroll of musical notes. Invulnerable Armor Story Obstacle: A unique creature has a deadly melee or ranged attack that instantly kills or causes a permanent condition. Examples include a medusa, a basilisk, or a catoblepas that has an enhanced gaze attack, or a serpent whose venom instantly slays living creatures. Property: The armor's wearer can resist the special attack of this creature; that attack is instead treated as one that does not instantly kill or cause a permanent condition. Form: Armor, brooch, shield, protective salve. Magical Simulacrum Story Obstacle: A character must brave tremendous peril, or needs to appear in two places at once. Property: A simulacrum looks, speaks, and acts exactly like the character it is modeled on, perfectly replicating all the character's personality traits and qUirks. It has the same defenses, skills, and abilities, but cannot attack or defend itself, and has 1 hit point. As with a minion, any damage destroys it, but a character trained in Heal can heal the simulacrum by making a Heal check (hard DC) as a standard action. Only characters trained in Heal can aid this check. A character who fails this check can try again, but only after 24 hours have passed. After three such failures, the simulacrum is destroyed permanently. The simulacrum can operate independently from the character and recount its adventures at a later date. Form: When first discovered or employed, a simulacrum is an unassumjng humanoid shape, white and featureless. When activated by a character, the simulacrum's fragile exterior instantly mirrors that character's appearance, but its interior is hollow, ~ like a drained eggshell. Mechanical simulacra with UJ innards constructed of delicate moving parts are also Irumored to exist. >- ct: Marut Warden's Token ~ Story Obstacle: Maruts have established a domain in the Astral Sea where they imprison the bodies and souls of creatures that have broken contracts with them. The characters need access to someone held within this fortress, but a Huge construct guards its massive mechanical gates, and this guardian requires a special token from anyone seeking access. Combating the guardian is not a wise choice, because defeating it causes it to consume the life force of an imprisoned creature-perhaps the one the characters seek-and then it reanimates at full health on the same initiative count during the following round. Only the guardian knows the secret to opening the mechanical gates. Property: The guardian will not harm the token's bearer unless it is provoked. The guardian places a proffered token into a slot in its head. Machine parts whir and click as the massive gates unlock and open. Whoever presents the token can remove one creature (or soul) from the prison without resistance from the guardian. Form: The token is a I-foot-diameter round bronze disc, divided into four quadrants by a cross. Each quadrant is inscribed with strange reliefs that seem to follow a pattern. Messenger of the Gods Story Obstacle: A problem of grave import captures the attention of the gods, who have a stake in the way the conflict resolves. One or more of the gods become aware of a world-ending threat, or of something that poses danger to their own existence. Due to the nature of the threat, or to the rules that govern the deities' interactions with the world, they cannot take direct action to fix the problem and need the help of mortals, preferably worshipers, to do so. Property: One of the gods communicates with a devoted follower among the characters through an item that they acquire (or an item that the worshiper owns that didn't preViously have any direct connection to the deity). The god uses the item to instruct, command, and gUide his or her worshiper on how to defeat the threat. However, this communication isn't direct, requiring the characters to read portents, puzzle out obscure references, or seek out other agents who can decipher the clues imparted through the item. Form: Brooch, sacred chest, talisman. CHA PTER 5 I Artifacts and Curses III

Miraculous Item Story Obstacle: Reality has become a twisted nightmare or a hostile setting for the heroes, who require great support to survive or to defeat their mighty adversaries. Property: This item holds the captive spirit of a powerful entity (such as a genie) or puts the characters in contact with an immortal creature that bestows a single wish. This creature is not reqUired to grant wishes, and does not grant selfish wishes, except possibly those that would punish an unwary wisher. The entity refuses to kill for the characters, but it will aid them in a Single endeavor on their quest, such as transporting them to a desired destination or lending them an item that will help them defeat their foe. This item yields story results, not mechanical results. At your discretion, a wish can proVide temporary boosts, items, status, or anything else the players can dream up, but all of this fades once the adventure ends and reality returns. Form: Bottle, holy relic, magic lamp, ornate box, ring. Oracular Glass Story Obstacle: The heroes are searching for a missing person, a lost treasure, or some form of guidance on their current quest. Property: This reflective item shows the heroes what they seek, hinting with cryptic words or visions at a grave danger they must overcome to succeed. However, before the item can be used, the characters must fight past a guardian or face a series of trials to reach or acquire the item. Additionally, to use the item, the characters might have to pay a price, perhaps giving up an item, revealing a hidden secret, or accepting a limitation upon their abilities. Form: Crystal sphere, mirror, scrying pool. Pathfinder Story Obstacle: A torturous labyrinth, a deadly dungeon, or a trackless wilderness stands between the characters and their hidden destination. Property: This item reveals an invisible path through or past the obstacle. It could constantly reveal the path to its bearer, or it could show the way once per hour or once per day. Form: Amulet, goggles, helm, lantern. Restorer of the Earth Story Obstacle: The land has been ravaged by unnatural famine, or by the tainted energy of a portal to the Abyss. The fields have been laid barren and the people sickened. Property: This item restores the soil, driving out the curse that besets the land, or healing a particular CHAPTER 5 I Artifacts and Curses region of blight. Afterward, the land thrives and bears healing fruit. Form: Enchanted tilling tools, fey seeds, magical soil. Ring of Mortal Delights Story Obstacle: Some desperate need drives a character and, in answer to fervent prayers, a stranger gives this ring as a gift, or it is found unattended somewhere. This ring could also be found upon the hand of a powerful devil, which seemingly (though falsely) accounts for the ring's power. Property: The first three times a creature bearing this ring makes a wish-usually an offhand desire mentioned in passing-the desire is realized. Wishes granted in this manner come to pass only if something terrible occurs in their fulfillment. The wishes affect neither powerfully evil creatures (so a character cannot wish Demogorgon dead) nor significant characters in the campaign. For example, a character can wish for and receive a magic longsword, but the sword's previous owner might resent him or her for the theft. If the character wishes for the death of some creature, that creature might die choking on the bones of one of the character's friends. Once three desires have been voiced and fulfilled, the item disappears. It cannot be destroyed by any known means, and the ring always finds another greedy mortal to ruin, even if it is hidden away or secured. This item requires shrewd adjudication, but keeping its nature secret should give you enough opportunity to think of ways to make negative story effects occur. Form: A golden ring encrusted with rubies. Sacred Charm of Warding Story Obstacle: A unique creature is stalking people in their sleep, feeding on them while they dream. The victims remember the attacks, but can't recall anything about what is stalking them or why. Within a few days of the first attack, each victim is found dead, apparently having expired in his or her sleep. No normal means has been found to stop the creature, and people are trying to keep themselves awake in order to keep themselves alive. Property: To fight the nighttime terror, the characters must acquire this item and then use it to enter the world of dreams during their sleep so they can find and stop whatever is preying on people. In addition, the charm protects those sleeping near it from the creature's attacks within their dreams. Form: Blessed oil, holy symbol, special herbs or incense.

Scales of Power Story Obstacle: The party's enemy waxes and wanes in strength. When this foe is at its strongest, it is impossible to defeat. Property: When activated, this item measures the strength of a single powerful creature and compares the party's strength to the current strength of that creature. By being able to determine when their enemy is at its weakest, the characters can plot when to strike. Form: Abacus, balance, dowsing rod, knotted measuring cord. Soul Vessel Story Obstacle: A unique creature conceals its life force inside a vessel. As long as the creature's life force is tied to the vessel, the creature cannot truly be destroyed; when slain, it uses the vessel to quickly return to life and power. Property: Destroying the vessel negates the creature's immortality and causes it to become a mortal creature of its kind. Form: Amulet, earth-filled coffin, jar, piece ofbone. Summoning Instrument Story Obstacle: The characters must cross a boundary between worlds, and they need a mystical creature or vessel to transport them from one realm to the next. This transport might inhabit the watery depths or soar at dizzying heights; it might sail the Astral Sea or the ether of the Far Realm. Property: This instrument calls a creature or a vessel to the characters' location at a boundary between planes or worlds. The summoned conveyance might require a price for transport. After the characters move aboard, on, or in it (and any agreement is made), it carries the characters to their destination. Form: Gong, horn, scroll of mystic poetry, coin. Talking Object Story Obstacle: The heroes need outside aid, clues, or specific knowledge to help them with a problem in their current adventure. Property: This item is native to the area the characters are exploring. It represents an inanimate but sentient entity that the characters can pick up and carry with them. The item might reflect the characteristics ofits surroundings (for example, a pure voice and a radiant glow if found in a temple of good, or oozing blood and spewing curses during conversation if found in a necromancer's lair). The item provides helpful advice and guides the characters toward clues that allow them to succeed on their quest. Depending on the nature of the item, it might direct the characters to follow a difficult or painful path, possibly causing them to unwittingly cause mischief that comes back on Talkin8 lantern them later. The item might also intend to deceive the characters, revealing enough clues to keep the heroes on the right track before finally betraying them. Form: Amulet, lantern, skull, statuette. True Name Story Obstacle: A unique creature has unusually powerful abilities or is more than five levels higher than a normal creature of its kind. Property: Intoning the creature's true name compels the creature to obey the speaker's commands, or weakens it by lowering its level to that of a normal creature of its kind. Form: Oracular knowledge, scroll, tablet. Ward of Protection Story Obstacle: A horde of demons, a host of barbarian raiders, or some other large destructive force descends on a nation or a key population center. The characters must stop it from destroying the area. Property: This item must be acquired, possibly from a dangerous location, and placed in front of the approaching horde, or the item must be found and activated before the horde arrives. Doing so will protect the region from the opposing force, causing it to be unable to approach (either phYSically, or by hiding the population center in a place the horde can't reach). Only small groups of the enemy that were already within the protected region when the item was placed, or those few enemies strong enough to force their way past the ward, can bypass this protection. Form: Monument, obelisk, standard, statue, totem. CHAPTER 5 I Artifacts and Curses V"l ~ LoU fo- >- cc: o foV"l

CHAPTER 6 I WOULD be remiss if I did not provide at least some slight guidance on certain ordinary topics. Though wizards and other spellcasters might not think much about items that do not rely upon enchantment, we live in a world full of individuals who spend most of their lives relying upon such mundane objects for their livelihood and their survival. I will limit the discussion to those items most useful to ourselves and our hirelings: adventuring tools, architectural constructions, and alchemical items. Alchemy is of some interest to one of our number, and I'll leave it to him to proVide a more in-depth treatise of the topic. For my part, I shall merely observe that the process by which the reagents produce effects warrants doser observation. The system of interactions between ingredients bears a certain resemblance to the complexity of the systems through which we practice magiC. As I noted earlier in the introduction to the chapter about magical equipment, such systems are ultimately false. Thus, keen observation of alchemy's "nonmagical" systems could lead to illuminating inSights on the nature of the universe in which we exist. And of course hirelings themselves warrant a certain amount of discussion. As we all know, a dependable hireling can make even the most complex plan feaSible, whereas an untrustworthy mercenary can cause even the Simplest endeavor to come crashing down around us. When assessing the reliability of a hireling, you should look not only for fidelity and earnestness, but for predictability of behavior. For example, a disloyal hireling can be a boon if you can surmise under what circumstances you will be betrayed. -Mordenkainen, from his master copy of the Magnificent Emporium Scholar's Note: The last sentence of this passage has always been unnerving to me. I do not doubt that Mordenkainen would consider my copying of a text he eradicated from existence to be a betrayal. And the manner in which I left his service can leave no doubt. Did he know that I would create this extra copy of the work? If so, did he predict that I would kill the other seven apprentices to protect my secret? I would not put such a callous calculation past the old scoundrel. But ifhe knew I would act this way, am I being allowed to live out my part in his plans, or shall I be eliminated now that my part is done? -Qort C HAPTER 6 I Adventurin8 Gear

ADVENTURING GEAR Most of the adventuring gear presented here has a specific application that makes it useful. Many of these items also lend temselves to being used in other creative ways. Ball Bearings: As a standard action, you can drop these smooth metal spheres into an adjacent square (or gather them back up). Any creature moving on the ball bearings must either treat the square as difficult terrain or succeed on a saving throw to avoid falling prone. Creatures that are running can use only the latter option. Bell and Whistle: A bell is useful for setting an alarm, while blowing a whistle lets you alert comrades at a greater distance. Bestiary: Each of these books offers lore about a single combination of creature origin and type, such as fey humanoids. When you fail a monster knowledge check related to a creature with this origin and type, you can reroll the check by spending one hour studying the bestiary. You must use the second result. Block, Tackle, and Winch: After you attach this set of simple machines to a solid surface, you can pass a rope through it to triple the weight you can lift, pull, or drag on the other end of the rope. Caltrops: You can drop these pyramid-shaped metal spikes into a square adjacent to you (or gather them back up) as a standard action. Any creature moving on the caltrops must either treat the square as difficult terrain or become slowed (save ends). Creatures that are running can use only the latter option. Camouflaged Clothing: While you are not moving, these garments allow you to blend into your surroundings by granting you a +2 bonus to Stealth checks. Candle Clock: Lighting one of these wax tapers allows you to count hours by observing how far the candle has burned down against marks made in the wax. Each clock lasts for 8 hours and is consumed after use. Candle clocks are typically sold in pairs to help synchronize timing between separate groups. Chalk and Slate: Use chalk to write on dungeon walls to help find your way back out or to leave messages for those who follow. DraWing on a slate lets you communicate simple ideas when you need to remain silent or work around a language barrier. Charlatan's Kit: This kit includes caltrops, a crook-eye, disguise kit, gambler's gear, gambling KITS Purchasing a kit is a good way to make sure you have all the adventuring gear you need. A standard adventurer's kit covers the basics, while the kits described here provide specialized equipment for different character concepts. CHAPTER 6 I Adventurin8 Gear cheats, and a glass cutter. Many purchasers supplement this kit with 8oodni8ht tincture (page 132). Chirurgeon's Tools: This surgical gear includes brass wedges that can be heated to cauterize wounds and jars ofleeches for bleeding patients. When you use these tools to treat an ally who has contracted a disease caused by an attack from a creature, that ally gains a +2 bonus to the next check he or she makes against the disease. Cold-Weather Clothing: Wearing these furs gives you a +2 bonus to Endurance checks against cold weather. Wearing the snowshoes included in ADVENTURING GEAR Item Price Weight ,Ball bearings 10 gp 1 lb. Bell and whistle 1 gp Block, tackle,and winch 10 gp 10 lb. Charlatan's kit 136gp Bib. Caltrops 10 gp lib. Crook-eye 50gp 2 lb. Disguise kit 30gp Sib. Gambler's gear 1 gp Gambling cheats 20 gpGlass cutter 25 gp Sib. Dagger boots 2gp 4 lb. Delver's kit 40gp 28 lb. Crowbar :i gp 41b. Iron spikes (10) 1 gp Sib. Manacles, iron 10 gp 2 lb. Miner's helmet 10 gp 3 lb. Sacks (2) 1 gp 1 lb. Surveyor's gear 15 gp Sib. Ten-foot pole 1 gp 8 lb. Devotee's kit 146gp 141b. Candle clocks (2) 1 gp 1 lb. Chalk and slate 5 sp Chirurgeon's tools 20gp 4 lb. Doctrinal book 25 gp 3 lb. Regalia 100 gp 6 lb. Footpads 5 gp Harness 5gp 1 lb. Manacles, adamantine 650 gp 2 lb. Sage's kit 135 gp 12 lb. Bestiary 25 gp 3 lb. Hidden item compartment 40gp 2 lb. Investigation gear 40gp 41b. Iron filings and lodestone 15 gp Jar of glowworms 5 gp 1 lb. Writing case 10 gp 2 lb. Traveler's kit Camouflaged clothing 30gp 6 lb. Cold-weather clothing 10 gp 10 lb. Desert clothing 5gp 41b. Map case 15 gp 2 lb. Signal ammunition (5) 15 gp Sib. Snares 5gp 4 lb.

this gear allows you to ignore difficult terrain caused by snow and ice, but reduces your speed by 2. Crook-Eye: You can look around corners with the angled mirrors in this leather-bound wooden tube. You grant combat advantage and take a -2 penalty to Perception checks while using a crook-eye, but you can trace your line of sight from a square adjacent to you. Crowbar: Wielding this metal pry bar gives you a +2 bonus to Strength checks to break open locked doors or containers. Dagger Boots: These spike-toed footwear help you kick notches into a surface you are climbing. While wearing dagger boots, you gain +2 bonus to Athletics checks to climb but take a -2 penalty to Stealth checks to move silently. Delver's Kit: This kit includes a crowbar, ten iron spikes, iron manacles, a miner's helmet, two sacks, surveyor's gear, and a ten-foot pole. Many purchasers supplement this kit with cIin8in8 essence of fire (page 130). Desert Clothing: Wearing this mask and loosefitting robes gives you a +2 bonus to Endurance checks to resist heat or to avoid the effects of persistent dust or sun glare. Devotee's Kit: This kit includes two candle clocks, chalk and slate, chirurgeon's tools, a doctrinal book, and regalia. Many purchasers supplement this kit with holy water (page 132). Disguise Kit: Using these cosmetics and prosthetics gives you a +2 bonus to Bluff checks to pass off your disguises. GAMBLING Although a particular high-stakes wager might be the subject of a skill challenge, gambling is usually resolved by opposed checks. Each gambler chooses to make either a Bluff check or an Insight check. The gambler with the highest result wins the stakes; the others share the loss. If you choose to cheat while gambling, make a Bluff check or an Insight check as usual. If you dislike the result, you can make a Thievery check and use that result instead. You are exposed as a cheater if your Thievery check does not exceed the passive Perception checks of the other participants, or their active Perception checks if they suspect you are cheating and are watching for it. Introducing marked gambling gear (gambling cheats) into the game makes it easier to cheat. At the start of a wager, the process of deciding whose gambling gear will be used is typically resolved by an opposed Diplomacy check. To substitute marked gear once the gambling is under way, you must succeed on two opposed checks against the highest-level opponent: Bluff against InSight, and Thievery against Perception. et: <C pertaining to a certain deity. After a failed Religion 1.1.1 check associated with this deity or its followers, you can (J attempt the check again after spending 1 hour studying (J the doctrinal book. You must use the second result. Z Doctrinal Book: Each of these volumes holds lore Footpads: While wearing these felt soles over your normal footwear, you gain a +1 bonus to Stealth checks to move qUietly. et: ::J fZ 1.1.1 > bones, or diviner's sticks are necessary equipment for Cl games of chance. <C Gambler's Gear: These dice, cards, knuckleGambling Cheats: This marked gambling gear gives you a +2 bonus to Thievery checks to cheat while gambling. Glass Cutter: By affixing this tool to a piece of glass, you can quickly and silently etch the surface and create a round hole large enough to fit your arm through. Hidden Item Compartment: While wearing this cunningly crafted piece of apparel, you can conceal an object on yourself that weighs 1 pound or less. You gain a +2 bonus to Stealth checks against Perception checks to notice the item. Investigation Gear: This bag of equipment includes containers made from different materials, brushes, dusts, tweezers, picks, probes, a magnifying glass, ink and quills, parchment, and a small journal. You gain a +2 bonus to Perception checks when you use the kit to search an area for specific details. Iron Filings and Lodestone: Watching for disruptions in the patterns that iron filings normally form around a lodestone can help you perceive strong magical forces. When you fail an Arcana check to detect magic on an object or a location, you can attempt the check again after spending 1 hour spreading and studying the iron filings. You must use the second result. Iron Spikes: Hammering one of these blunt, wide metal wedges between a door and its frame requires a standard action and adds 5 to the DC of checks to open the door. If nothing but a spike is holding a door shut, the base DC to open it is 15. Spiking a door is noisy; each time you drive in a spike, creatures within 20 squares can make a Perception check with a +5 bonus to hear you. Jar of Glowworms: The tiny insects in the jar create dim light in the jar's square. THINGS TO DO WITH A JAR OF GLOWWORMS The worms give off just enough light to read by, and the jar can be covered to avoid revealing your position in the darkness. You can use a ten-foot pole to push the jar into an ominous-looking area, sometimes revealing danger if the light goes out. This method of using the jar is also a good way to spring traps that are triggered by the presence of living things. CH APTER 6 I Adventurina Gear

CHAPTER 6 I Adventurin8 Gear FOR THE DM: IMPROVISED EQUIPMENT Sooner or later, someone in your game is sure to think of a new mundane item that's not mentioned in the rules, or a new use for one that is. These guidelines are meant to help you decide how to handle such situations. Specific: If you have the right tool for the job, you might bypass the need for a skill check altogether. But if something gives a bonus to every possible use of a skill, it's a magic item. Mundane gear provides bonuses only in specific circumstances. Tradeoffs: Gear sometimes gives a bonus when you're trying to do one thing but a penalty when doing something else. Using equipment can also create challenges for adventurers-using a grappling hook to swing across a chasm could enable someone to avoid making an Athletics check to jump, but it also might mean that an enemy can cut the rope when that person is halfway across. Detailed: Bringing equipment into a scene establishes facts that both the players and you can use to make action happen. Visualizing the details is essential to making common-sense rulings about what mundane items can do. Hefty: Adventuring gear is limited by weight in the same way that slots limit magic items. Players need to track whether the amount their characters are carrying exceeds their normal load (Strength x lOin pounds) and pay attention to where the character keeps the items (in hand or stowed). You have the right to establish reasonable limits on the bulkiness of what a character can carry (Rules Compendium, page 165). Flexible: When a character wants to take an improvised action that falls outside the standard rules, use a check if possible, keying the DC to the difficulty of the action. For example, if a character wants to jam an iron spike into an iron golem's knee joint to slow it, the act might require a hard Athletics check. However, if the action might deal damage, such as using a ten-foot pole to push a statue over onto a foe, set the DC for the check and establish an appropriate amount of damage if the check succeeds (perhaps equating it to a basic attack). Always Possible: Arguments about what equipment is or isn't capable of can go on for a long time. Let everyone have a brief say, set the odds that something will work-for example,"It's a good plan, but there's still a 1 in 4 chance it will fail" - and then let the dice decide. Even if the plan seems impossible or a sure thing, the fact that the group has been arguing about it means that it's reasonable and fun to allow a 1 in 10 chance of miraculous success or failure.

Manacles: When you put these shackles on a helpless or otherwise incapacitated creature, that creature is restrained until it escapes or is freed. The Acrobatics check to escape from these restraints is against a hard DC of the creature's level. The Strength check to break the manacles is against a DC that depends on the quality of the manacles, whether iron (DC 24) or adamantine (DC 31). Map Case: This waterproofleather tube can be unrolled to form a writing surface. The maps you make with the tools inside, which include parchment, charcoal, ink, and strings with distance markings, can be sold to others interested in your discoveries. Miner's Helmet: You can attach a lantern, a sunrod, or some other lighting device to the forehead reflector of this headgear to provide hands-free illumination. Regalia: In social situations where appearances and wealth matter, wearing regalia gives you a +2 bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks. Sack: You can carry up to 100 pounds in one of these leather or canvas drawstring bags. Sage's Kit: This kit includes a bestiary, a hidden item compartment, investigation gear, iron filings and lodestone, a jar of glowworms, and a writing case. POCKET CHANGE It's sometimes useful to know how much money a character might typically have on hand. The table below gives minor and major purchase values (in gp) for a character of a given level. A character can make a minor purchase with the monetary treasure he or she might earn in a single combat encounter, skill challenge, or minor quest. Major purchases are those the character would have to save up for an entire level's worth of adventuring to afford. A mage's tower (priced at 10,000 gp) is a major purchase when you're level 15, but a minor expense when you're level 22. MINOR AND MAJOR PURCHASE VALUES Level Minor Major Level Minor Major 1 10 144 16 1,800 18,000 2 20 208 17 2,600 26,000 3 30 271 18 3,400 34,000 4 40 336 19 4,200 42,000 5 50 400 20 5,000 50,000 6 75 720 21 9,000 90,000 7 100 1,040 22 13,000 130,000 8 125 1,360 23 17,000 170,000 9 150 1,680 24 21,000 210,000 10 200 2,000 25 25,000 250,000 11 350 3,600 26 45,000 450,000 12 500 5,200 27 65,000 650,000 13 650 6,800 28 85,000 850,000 14 800 8,400 29 105,000 1,050,000 15 1,000 10,000 30 125,0001,250,000 Many purchasers supplement this kit with trackina Q dust (page 135). Z Snares: When you use these baited tripwire traps, 0 you gain a +2 bonus to Nature checks or Dungeoneer- ....J ing checks to forage, but each check requires 2 hours instead of 1 hour. Signal Ammunition: These arrows, sling bullets, or crossbow bolts incorporate sunrod materials that ignite when the ammunition is fired, and are useful for coordinating maneuvers or Signaling for help. Surveyor's Gear: With this plumb line, measuring chain with pins, and slate for recording notes, you gain a +2 bonus to Perception checks to search for secret doors or hidden rooms, but using the gear takes at least 5 minutes. Ten-Foot Pole: Prodding dangerous-looking things with a ten-foot pole lets you trigger many traps from the safety of 2 squares away. Traveler's Kit: This kit includes camouflaged clothing, cold-weather clothing, desert clothing, a map case, five pieces of Signal ammunition, and snares. Many purchasers supplement this kit with icenina (page 132). Writing Case: This leather case holds a blank journal, loose sheets of parchment, an ink stone and ink brushes, a blotter, quills, and penknives. BUILDINGS The prices in this section apply to creating a new structure or purchasing an existing one. A singleroom dwelling in a desirable city neighborhood can cost as much as a castle overlooking a backwater province, and characters who take over a fort will not necessarily be able to find a buyer willing to purchase property in a monster-infested wilderness. Castle: Hundreds or thousands of people live and work in safety between the curtain wall and keep of one of these massive stone structures. Castle with Dungeon: The excavations below this structure are as extensive as the towers that crown it. Cottage: This single-room hut typically has walls of wood or sod and a thatched roof. Floating Castle: For those who want to travel without leaving home. Gatehouse: This building has reinforced walls, its own gate and portcullis, and quarters for five guards. Keep: This heavy stone fortification is built to withstand a siege. Mansion: This stately edifice has multiple wings, making it a good guild house or residence in which to entertain guests in style. Palace: The architecture and ornamentation of this immense complex is deSigned to impress. Palisade Fort: Surrounded by a wall of sharpened logs, this wooden fort can be constructed qUickly and garrisons up to fifty troops and their families. CHAPTER 6 I Adventurina Gear

Private Island: From beaches, docks, and sea caves to towers, villas, and observatories, it's all yours. Quarters: These three small rooms might be a single-story wooden house, or an apartment within a larger building. Stone Building: The stone walls of this building make it an ideal workshop or townhouse. It can be two stories tall and is typically 30 feet wide by 40 feet long. Tower: A favorite residence for mages, this stone spire rises 30 feet high and is 20 feet in diameter. Wood Building: This two-story structure is typically 30 feet wide by 40 feet long and makes a good tavern or farmhouse. However, its wooden walls make it susceptible to fire. BUILDINGS Item Price Castle Castle with dungeon Cottage Floating castle Gatehouse Keep Mansion Palace Palisade fort Private island Quarters Stone building Tower Wood building TRADE GOODS 250,000 gp 1,000,000 gp 400gp 1,250,000 gp 6,500 gp 75,000 gp 40,000 gp 175,000 gp 25,000 gp 650,000 gp 1,000 gp 3,000 gp 10,000 gp 1,500 gp Whether someone is a trapper bringing a cart full of furs to market or a ship captain pulling into port with a hold full of astral cloth, it is important to know the TRADE GOODS relationship between the amount of the goods one hopes to sell and the price one expects to earn. The table below presents this information for some of the most important valuables in the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game, as well as the unit of finished goods in which each is typically encountered. A seller might need to seek out a buyer for items such as rare wines or artwork, whose value is not always obvious to the untrained eye. Someone who wants to buy such items might need to worry about counterfeits. Buying and Selling: To perform either of these transactions, establish the total value of the trade goods in question. Use the major purchase column on the table in the Pocket Change sidebar (page 127) to figure out the level of this transaction. For example, unloading a rare book worth 10,000 gpor a forged copy of the same-would be a 15th-level transaction. Use this information with the Difficulty Class by Level table (Rules Compendium, page 126) to determine the DC to sell or buy a trade good, or to recognize or pass off a fake item. Then make a check (usually Streetwise) to find either a buyer or a seller. Use the moderate DC for the level of the transaction in a location with a goodsized marketplace or population. Use the easy DC in major trading hubs such as the City of Brass, and the hard DC if the value of the items far exceeds the locals' wealth. A successful check indicates that the transaction has been completed. Counterfeits and Forgeries: In the case of a counterfeit, the buyer has a chance to recognize the fake before purchasing it, and the check is based on how much the forger invested in the item. Use the easy DC if the forger spent one-tenth of the item's true value on the forgery, the moderate DC if onefifth the value was spent, or the hard DC if one-half the value was spent. Item Finished Unit Weight per Unit Value per Unit Value per Pound Artwork, epic statuette 51b. 5,000,000 gp 1,000,000 gp Artwork, fine statuette 5 lb. 500gp 100 gp Book, rare volume 5 lb. 10,000 gp 2,000 gp Cloth, astral outfit 2 lb. 125,000 gp 25,000 gp Cloth: fine outfit 51b. 30gp 6gp Cloth, shadow outfit 31b. 5,000 gp 1,000 gp Fur coat 15 lb. 3,000 gp 200gp Stone, precious gem 1/500 lb. 1,000 gp 500,000 gp Stone, semiprecious gem 1/500 lb. 20gp 10,000 gp Mithral bar 1 lb. 250,000 gp 250,000 gp Perfume vial 1/10 lb. 1_00 gp 1,000 gp Residuum grain 1/5000 lb. 1 gp 5,000 gp Silk square 51b. 5 gp 1 gp Spice jar 5 lb. 50 gp 10 gp Tapestry square 45 lb. 15 gp 1/3 gp Wine, common bottle 1 lb. 5gp 5 gp bottle 1 lb. 500gp 500gp C HAPT E R 6 I Adventurinn Gear ~

Alchel11ical Itel11s In a fantasy setting where magic is real, how does alchemy fit in? In our own history, alchemy was a precursor to science, but you can avoid many arguments by not applying scientific reasoning to fantasy concepts. Here are some guidelines for thinking about alchemy. Alchemy is formulaic. Much like wizardry or ritual magic, alchemy relies on following certain steps in a particular order. Alchemy will reliably produce a desired result, but its effects are less flexible than a wizard's spells or an artificer's creations because it does not directly channel a power source. Alchemy is earthy. Alchemy uses the traces of magic left in the world when power is channeled through base matter. Alchemists seek to collect the parts of exotic beasts, such as a unicorn's horn or a dragon's blood, because such objects are a rich source of these magical remnants. Alchemy is risky. Alchemy makes no distinctions between friend and foe. Its effects are often long lasting and can do more harm to the party than good. Be careful when using alchemy against enemies with forced movement powers that can push you into the area of your own alchemical effects. USING ALCHEMY The craft of creating alchemical items is more accessible to most characters than creating full-fledged magic items or learning and performing rituals. If ALCHEMICAL FORMULAS you have the Alchemist feat (below), you can concoct items for which you have the formula and the necessary skill training. All alchemical items are consumable. An item is expended when put into use, although its effects might last well beyond the time when it is applied or otherwise employed. Alchemist If you are eqUipped with the proper formula and sufficient talent, you can concoct alchemical items for the use of yourself or others. Benefit: You can make alchemical items of your level or lower. You must have the correct formula and training in an appropriate skill. Special: If you receive the Ritual Caster feat as a class feature, you can take the Alchemist feat instead. Reading the Table The alchemical formulas used to create the items in this section have three common characteristics, all summarized on the table below. Key Skills: You must have training in at least one of the indicated skills to use a particular formula. Market Price: This is what you pay to purchase the formula (which can also be thought of as the recipe). Creation Time: How long it takes to produce one dose or application of the alchemical item of the same name. Item Categories Each alchemical item in the following section has a category that defines how the item is used or its general effect. Name Key Skills Market Price Creation Time Alchemist's essence Arcana, Thievery 70gp 30 minutes Chartreuse gas Nature, Thievery 250 gp 1 hour Clinging essence Arcana, Nature, Thievery nOgp 1 hour Corpse burster Arcana, Thievery 200gp 30 minutes Elemental accelerant Arcana 70gp 1 hour Foaming plaster Arcana, Thievery 70 gp 30 minutes Goodnight tincture Nature, Thievery 750 gp 1 hour Greater sovereign glue Arcana, Thievery no gp 2 hours Holy water Religion 50gp 1 hour Icening Arcana 100 gp 1 hour Oil of etherealness Arcana 6,750 gp 1 hour Oil of slipperiness Nature, Thievery 375 gp 1 hour Ossip wax Arcana, Nature, Thievery 600gp 30 minutes Precarious crystal Arcana, Thievery nOgp 30 minutes Protean silk Arcana, Nature, Thievery 450gp 1 hour Smoke snake Arcana, Nature 800gp 30 minutes Sweetwater Arcana, Nature, Religion 100 gp 30 minutes Tracking dust Nature. Thievery 160 gp 1 hour Twinned flames Arcana, Nature nOgp 30 minutes Universal solvent Arcana, Thievery 600gp 30 minutes CHAPTER 6 I Adventurin8 Gear >- ~ \.I.J :c U ..J « LJ Z I.I'l ::J

Oil: Oils are applied to other objects (typically weapons), granting those objects temporary properties or powers. Volatile: An item of this category explodes or expands when shattered or broken, often dealing damage by the creation of a specific type of energy, such as acid, cold, fire, or lightning. Poison: A poison is a toxin that hampers or harms a creature. Other: Some items create miscellaneous effects that don't fall into one of the above categories. These have no designation aside from "Alchemical Item." ITEM DESCRIPTIONS For convenience, the formula cost of each of the alchemical items in this section is repeated in its statistics block. The other gold piece values represent the cost of the components (or ingredients) needed to create the substance. For instance, the formula for chartreuse gas will set you back 250 gp as a one-time purchase, and if you want to brew a level 9 version of that item it'll cost another 320 gp for the ingredients for that dose. Alchemist's Essence All agree that fire was the first element to be distilled into a pure essence whose destructive energy could be safely contained. Some say Vol Torno created alchemist's fire to give common people a weapon against the young empire ofBael Turath, and that the tieflings' rise to imperial power was hastened because only they could survive when peasants threw a flask of the fiery stuff through a noble's carriage window. The variant essences that were later developed are often called alchemist's frost, alchemist's acid, alchemist's spark, and alchemist's venom. Alchemist's Essence Level 1 + Common When this flask is shattered, its contents fill an area with a deadly distilled element. Lvi 1 20 gp Lvl16 1,800 gp Lvi 6 75 gp Lvi 21 9,000 gp Lvi 11 350 gp Lvi 26 45,000 gp Alchemical Item: Volatile Formula Cost: 70 gp Key Skill: Arcana or Thievery Time: 30 min. Special: When this item is created, the alchemist chooses acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. The item gains that keyword, and all damage dealt by the item is of that damage type. ~~ Attack Power (Varies) • Consumable (Standard Action) Attack: Area burst 1 within 10 (creatures in the burst); the item's level + 3 vs. Reflex Hit: The target takes 1 d6 damage of the chosen type. Level 6: 2d6 damage of the chosen type. Level 11 or 16: 3d6 damage of the chosen type. Level 21 or 26: 4d6 damage of the chosen type. Miss: Half damage. CHAPTER 6 I Adventurinn Gear Chartreuse Gas Inhaling these green vapors, which are usually contained within a glass sphere, causes the victim to mistake memories and fantasies for reality, experiencing them as if they were truly unfolding. In some disreputable quarters of decadent cities, customers pay to be tied down and exposed to chartreuse gas. The proprietors of these establishments often turn a secondary profit by tricking their clients into revealing valuable secrets during their reveries. Chartreuse Gas level 4+ Common The &reen mist contained in this Blass Blobe can make dreams and memories seem real. Lvi 4 80 gp Lvi 19 8,400 gp Lvi 9 320 gp Lvi 24 42,000 gp Lvi 14 1,600 gp Lvi 29 210,000 gp Alchemical Item: Poison Formula Cost: 250 gp Key Skill: Nature or Thievery Time: 1 hour ::r Attack Power (Poison) • Consumable (Standard Action) Attack: Ranged 2/5 (one creature); the item's level + 3 vs. Will Hit: The target is dazed until the end of your next turn. While dazed, the target takes a -5 penalty to InSight checks to resist Bluff attempts or to recognize effects as illusory, and the target is not aware that this attack has been made against it. Clinging Essence One of the most successful new formulas that followed the development of alchemist's fire and its diversification into different elements added a caustic tar that allowed the essence to stick to a target or a weapon. Because many magic weapons are enchanted to repel grime, gore, and other foreign agents, the sophistication of the alchemy required is proportional to the power of the weapon. Clinging Essence Level 3+ Common This vial holds enouBh sticky essence of a distilled element to apply to one weapon or to douse one enemy. Lvi 3 30 gp Lvi 18 3,400 gp Lvi 8 125 gp Lvi 23 17,000 gp Lvi 13 650 gp Lvi 28 85,000 gp Alchemical Item: Oil Formula Cost: 120 gp Key Skill: Arcana, Nature, or Thievery Time: 1 hour Special: When this item is created, the alchemist chooses acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. The item gains that keyword, and all damage dealt by the item is of that type. Utility Power. Consumable (Minor Action) Effect: You apply the essence to a weapon or ammunition. The level of the c/in8in8 essence must be equal to or higher than the level of the weapon or ammunition. Until the end of your next turn, damage dealt by a weapon attack using that weapon or ammunition is of the chosen type instead of any other type.

Corpseburster Few remember that the original version of this unpleasant toxin was made by alchemists of the fallen empire ofZannad for use by rat catchers. A single rat would be poisoned and then allowed to return to its nest before it expired, at which point its life force would be explosively converted to necrotic energy. The toxin's subsequent battlefield use depended on the ability of the yuan-ti wizards using it to time its release so that an enemy was among its own forces when it was hit by the fluid. Corpse burster level 5+ Common Death is the triaaer for the true virulence of this poisonous purplish fluid. Lvi 5 50 gp Lvi 10 200 gp Lvi 15 1,000 gp Alchemical Item: Volatile Lvi 20 Lvi 25 Lvi 30 5,000 gp 25,000 gp 125,000 gp Formula Cost: 200 gp Key Skill: Arcana or Thievery Time: 30 min. -;y Attack Power (Necrotic, Poison) .. Consumable (Standard Action) Attack: Ranged 5/10 (one creature); the item's level + 3 vs. Fortitude Hit: The target takes ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends). Aftereffect: The target takes ongoing 1 poison damage (save ends). Level 15 or 20: Ongoing 10 poison damage (save ends); aftereffect ongoing 2 poison damage (save ends). Level 25 or 30: Ongoing 15 poison damage (save ends); aftereffect ongoing 3 poison damage (save ends). Effect: If the target drops below 1 hit point while stili taking ongoing damage from this power, make a secondary attack. Secondary Attack: Close burst 1 centered on the primary target (each creature in the burst); the item's level + 3 vs. Reflex Hit: 1d8 necrotic damage. Level 15 or 20: 2d8 necrotic damage. Level 25 or 30: 3d8 necrotic damage. Elemental Accelerant One principle of alchemy is that every reaction has an associated fuel. For example, because adding wood to a fire heightens the blaze, alchemists hold that wood contains the latent essence of fire. At the time of the creation of the Elemental Chaos, matter had not yet been separated into different essences. This formula recreates that early protomatter to produce a powder that blankets an area and fuels whatever type of reaction first gives it form. Elemental Accelerant level 3+ Common This pouch is desianed to break apart when thrown, coatina everythina around it with a dust that intensifies the next reaction in its area. Lvi 3 30 gp Lvi 23 17,000 gp Lvi 13 650 gp Alchemical Item: Volatile Formula Cost: 70 gp Key Skill: Arcana Time: 1 hour Utility Power (Zone) .. Consumable (Standard Action) Effect: Area burst 1 within 10 squares. The burst creates a zone that lasts until the end of the encounter. The first time a creature in the zone takes cold, fire, lightning, radiant, or thunder damage, the following effect is triggered: Attacks against creatures in the zone gain a +2 power bonus to damage rolls that include the triggering damage type. In addition, creatures in the zone take a -2 penalty to saving throws against ongoing damage of that type. These effects last until the end of the triggering creature's next turn, at which point the zone ends. Level 13: +4 power bonus. Level 23: +6 power bonus. Foaming Plaster The utility of this alchemical item is limited only by the volume of the shape it can be used to simulate. Some people have tried to combine multiple batches of foaming plaster in an attempt to capture an impression of an exceedingly large object (such as a bas relief carved into a wall). The problem they encountered was that as the amount of each reagent is increased, the length of time the plaster stays wet decreases. W hoever came up with the original formula seems to have found the right balance between the volume of the plaster and how long it remains malleable. Foaming Plaster Level 1 Common When you combine these two reaaents, one chalky and one viscous, a billow of expandinafoam quickly forms in the area and then soon afterward hardens. Lvi 1 20 gp Alchemical Item Key Skill: Arcana or Thievery Formula Cost: 70 gp Time: 30 min. Utility Power" Consumable (Standard Action) Effect: You mix the plaster. Once before the end of the encounter, you can use a minor action to create an impression in the wet plaster of a footprint, a key, or a similar small object. Giving the hardened plaster to someone else allows that person to identify the footprint, duplicate the key, and so on as if he or she had the original item. If the plaster is not used by the end of the encounte r, it hardens into a lump. CHA P TE R 6 I Adventurin8 G ea r Vl Z o le. ct:: U Vl L.W o :2 L.W I-

Goodnight Tincture This liquid is dissolved into the food or drink of an unsuspecting victim to knock the subject unconscious. It is said that street vendors in the City of Brass spread fearful tales about how the city's taverns dose their patrons with goodnight tincture to sell sweet water to visitors. Goodnight Tincture level 6+ Common This odorless, tasteless elixir can incapacitate a foe without harminB it. Lvi 6 75gp Lvi 11 350gp Lvi 16 1,800 gp Alchemical Item: Poison Key Skill: Nature or Thievery Lvi 21 Lvi 26 9,000 gp 45,000 gp Formula Cost: 750 gp Time: 1 hour Utility Power" Consumable (Minor Action) Effect: You apply the 800dni8ht tincture to an item of food or drink you are holding or that is adjacent to you. A creature that consumes the food or drink is subject to the follOWing attack 1 minute later: the tincture's level + 6 vs. Fortitude; on a hit, the creature falls unconscious for 1 hour, or until it is subject to an attack or to violent motion. Greater Sovereign Glue This ultimate adhesive is stored in a speCial vial. Greater soverei8n8Iue can be applied directly to bond two objects together, or thrown at an enemy to keep that creature stuck in place. Greater Sovereign Glue level 3+ Common This vial of way paste creates a Virtually unbreakable bond between the objects it Blues tOBether. Lvi 3 30 gp Lvi 18 Lvi 8 125 gp Lvi 23 Lvi 13 650 gp Lvi 28 3,400 gp 17,000 gp 85,000 gp Alchemical Item Formula Cost: 120 gp Key Skill: Arcana or Thievery Time: 2 hours ;Y Attack Power" Consumable (Standard Action) Attack: Ranged 5/10 (one creature); the item's level + 3 vs. Reflex Hit: The target is slowed (save ends). Effect: The item is consumed. Utility Power" Consumable (Standard Action) Effect: You apply this glue to an object and affix that object to another object within 1 square of you. Doing so consumes this item. If the two objects remain affixed to one another until the end of your next turn (which might require you to hold them together), the items are adhered, and separating them requires a Strength check against a hard DC of the glue's level. A successful Strength check deals 2dl 0 damage to each adhered object. CHAPTE R 6 I A dventurin8 Gear Holy Water It is thought that the secret of making holy water was given to mortals by the gods. Most members of good and unaligned faiths see holy water as a symbol of the deities' common origin in the Astral Sea, despite the many differences in religious iconography that have emerged since the deities carved out their individual dominions. Adventurers who have little time for devotion still value holy water for its effectiveness in harming the traditional enemies of the non-evil gods. Aside from its effect on undead and demons, holy water acts as normal water in all ways. It can be distinguished from normal water with a successful Arcana check or Religion check. Holy Water level 1 + Common Undead and demons react poorly to the touch of this liquid. Lvi 1 20 gp Lvi 16 1,800 gp Lvi 6 75 gp Lvi 21 9,000 gp Lvi 11 350 gp Lvi 26 45,000 gp Alchemical Item: Volatile Formula Cost: 50 gp Key Skill: Religion Time: 1 hour ;Y Attack Power (Radiant) .. Consumable (Minor Action) Attack: Ranged 3/6 (one undead creature or demon); the item's level + 3 vs. Reflex Hit: 1 dl 0 radiant damage. Level 11 or 16: 2dl0 radiant damage. Level 21 or 26: 3dl 0 radiant damage. Icening A now-deceased deity of winter carved her dominion from the Astral Sea with a single snowflake-when she exposed it to the formless stuff of creation, the silvery material took on the snowflake's rigid perfection, forming a crystalline structure. This alchemical formula creates a seed crystal whose shape resembles that primal snowflake, and it can influence normal water in the same way. Icening level 5+ Common When you toss this crystal into water, it freezes that liqUid solid. Lvi 5 50 gp Lvi 20 5,000 gp Lvi 10 200 gp Lvi 25 25,000 gp Lvi 15 1,000 gp Lvi 30 125,000 gp Alchemical Item: Volatile Formula Cost: 100 gp Key Skill: Arcana Time: 1 hour -:.:- Attack Power (Zone) .. Consumable (Standard Action) Attack: Area burst 1 within 10 (each creature at least partially submerged in water); the item's level + 3 vs. Fortitude Hit: The target is immobilized until the end of its next turn. Effect: The burst creates a zone that lasts until the end of the encounter. Water in the zone is difficult terrain. However, if no creatures are in the zone when it is created, water in the zone turns to solid ice.

Alchemist at work Oil of Etherealness Delvers report that a mad wizard's dungeon holds a fountain that seems empty but actually brims with this invisible oil. Expeditions intending to grow rich from bottling it have fallen prey to the dungeon's denizens, who coat themselves in the oil and rise through the floor in ambush. Groups still make the attempt, however, because spending too much time in ethereal form weakens a creature's physical health and many believe all those guardians will eventually be slain. Oil of Etherealness Level 20 Common When you apply this oil to yourself or an object, it is momentarily removed from the physical world. Lvi 20 5,000 gp Alchemical Item: Oil Key Skill: Arcana Formula Cost: 6,750 gp Time: 1 hour Utility Power. Consumable (Minor Action) Effect: You apply the oil to yourself or to an adjacent creature or object. That creature or object becomes insubstantial and gains phasing until the end of your next turn. As a minor action, a creature benefiting from this power can lose a heal· ing surge to sustain this power until the end of its next turn. Oil of Slipperiness The original impetus for the development of this alchemical item was the search for an agent that would allow sovereign glue to be poured from a vial without bonding to the glass. This greenish-black fluid soon found other industrial uses, such as lubricating iron golem gears. After burglars stole the formula, oil of slipperiness became popular among adventurers, who anticipated needing to squirm free from a choker's grasp or slip away from a pursuing band ofbugbears. Oil of Slipperiness Level 8 Common The oily ael in this vial qUickly spreads to make your body or a patch of around very slick. LvlS 125 gp Alchemical Item: Oil Formula Cost: 375 gp Key Skill: Nature or Thievery Time: 1 hour Utility Power (Zone) • Consumable (Standard Action) Effect: Area burst 1 within 10. The burst creates a zone that lasts until the end of the encounter. Whenever a creature on the ground enters the zone, it must succeed on a saving throw or fall prone. When forced movement moves a creature into the zone, that forced movement increases by 1 square, and creatures in the zone take a -2 penalty to saving throws to avoid entering hindering terrain. Special: Recognizing the zone requires a hard Perception check. CHAPTER 6 I Adventurin8 Gear V1 Z o I0.. O! U V1 u.J o ~ u.J I-

Ossip Wax Records from the Anauli Empire suggest that this wax, which induces weightlessness, was originally harvested directly from a now-extinct creature of the beholder family called an ossip. The reconstruction of this formula used by contemporary alchemists is a compound created by a sage who was a noted expert on both beholder anatomy and the Ruined Realms_ Ossip Wax Level 1 0 Common This stiff yellow wax makes any thins it's spread on lishter. Lvi 10 200 gp Alchemical Item Key Skill: Arcana, Nature, or Thievery Formula Cost: 600 gp Time: 30 min. Utility Power. Consumable (Standard Action) Effect: You smear the wax on one adjacent object of Large or smaller size. The object's weight is reduced by 500 pounds. If this reduction causes the object to become weightless, it floats 5 feet above the ground. Pushing a floating object causes it to continue moving in the direction of the push, at an initial speed of 1 O. At the end of each round of movement, the object's speed is reduced by 1. This power lasts for 5 minutes or until the end of the encounter. Precarious Crystal This item is a favorite of trap makers who want to ward an area against flying creatures. The item has two parts-a bag of chemical salts and a small glass flask of alchemist's essence (fire). In preparing the crystal, the salts are dropped into the flask, and the fire fuses them into a highly unstable crystal in a short amount of time. Thereafter, any major movement near the crystal will cause it to collapse, releasing the fire to trigger another alchemical item or sound an alarm. Precarious Crystal Level 3+ Common This small, clear crystal collapses into a tiny flame in response to motion, activatins another nearby alchemical item. Lvi 5 50 gp Lvi 20 5,000 gp Lvi 10 200 gp Lvi 25 25,000 gp Lvi 1 5 1,000 gp Lvi 30 125,000 gp Alchemical Item Formula Cost: 120 gp Key Skill: Arcana or Thievery Time: 30 min. Utility Power (Zone) • Consumable (Standard Action) Effect: You place the crystal in a square adjacent to you, along with a volatile alchemical item that the crystal will activate. The level of that item must be the same as or lower than the crystal's level. At the end of your next turn, the crystal creates a zone in a burst 1 centered on its square. The first time a creature enters the zone, the crystal vanishes in a bright flash, the volatile alchemical item activates, and the zone ends. Special: Recognizing the zone requires a Perception check. Disarming it requires an Arcana check or a Thievery check as a standard action. All of these checks are against a hard DC of the crystal's level. CHAPTE R 6 I Adventurin8 Gear Protean Silk Some believe that the drow first developed the formula for protean silk. Drow raiders certainly appreciate its ability to form a lightweight rope that can be retracted without leaving a trace, as well as its association with spiders. Having the glands and spinneret extracted from a spider is useful when preparing this item, but not necessary. Protean Silk Level 6 Common You draw forth a Ions, thin filament from this viscous Slob that you can turn into a strOllS rope that lasts for a short time. Lvi 6 75 gp Alchemical Item Formula Cost: 450 gp Key Skill: Arcana, Nature, or Thievery Time: 1 hour Utility Power. Consumable (Minor Action) Effect: You extract a silk strand that can stretch up to 40 sq uares away. The strand does not move on its own, but it can be carried or attached to an arrow, a bolt, or some other ammunition. As a second minor action, you can turn the strand into a silk rope. As a third minor action, you can cause the rope to dissolve, leaving no trace of it. Smoke Snake When lit, this twist of tightly compressed powder leaves a growing tail of ash, creating a cloud of dark, caustic smoke that obscures the area around it. Smoke Snake Level 1 0 Common You throw this tab of compacted black powder to the wound and it isnites, releasins a cloud of foul-smellins smoke. Lvi 10 200 gp Alchemical Item Formula Cost: 800 gp Key Skill: Arcana or Nature Time: 30 min. Utility Power (Zone) • Consumable (Standard Action) Effect: Area burst 1 within 10. The burst creates a zone of lightly obscured squares that lasts until the end of the encounter. Sweet Water Mixing sweet water into food provides protection against poisoned meals, making it a favorite among wealthy nobles. Sweet Water Level 1 Common This small Slob of white jelly purifies even the most toxic food and drink,from poisons to dwarven spirits. Lvi 1 20 gp Alchemical Item Key Skill: Arcana, Nature, or Religion Formula Cost: 100 gp Time: 30 min. Utility Power. Consumable (Minor Action) Effect: You apply the sweet water to a portion of food equivalent to a light meal for one person or to a Single serving of a beverage. The sweet water removes any poison or disease present in the food or beverage after 1 minute. It cannot remove poison or disease from food or drink that is already in a creature's system.

Tracking Dust This fine dust is typically applied in areas where you are searching for existing tracks or where you want to detect a creature passing through at a later time. Thieves in areas where tracking dust is common often employ ossip wax to enter an area without leaving footprints. Tracking Dust level 4+ Common You spread the fine Brains of this silver dust to reveal the sub· dest tracks. Lvi 4 80 gp Lvi 19 8,400 gp Lvi 9 310 gp Lvi 14 41,000 gp Lvi 14 1,600 gp Lvi 19 110,000 gp Alchemical Item Formula Cost: 160 gp Key Skill: Nature or Thievery Time: 1 hour Utility Power (Zone) .. Consumable (Standard Action) Effect: The trackin8 dust creates a zone of 5 contiguous squares that lasts for 1 hour (you can arrange the squares however you like). When a creature makes a Perception check to track in the zone, the creature can make the check using either its normal Pe rception modifier or the +7 bonus pro· vided by the dust. Level 9: +9 bonus. Level 14: +11 bonus. Level 19: +14 bonus. Level 14: +17 bonus. Level 29: +19 bonus. Special: Recognizing the zone requires a hard Perception check of the item's level. Twinned Flames Twinned flames is the name given to pairs ofinert magical flames that are commonly used to detonate alchemical traps, either at a safe distance or through the use of a precarious crystal. Alchemists create these items using a process that squeezes a candle flame down to its tiniest essence, then splits it into two flames, making their fire inert. When one half of the flame is magically reignited, its twin flares at the same moment. Twinned Flames Level 1 0 + Common This tiny spark is almost invisible until it is fanned into life. When it is, its twin fl ame reiBnites as well. Lvi 1 0 100 gp Lvi 30 Lvi 10 5,000 gp Alchemical Item Key Skill: Arcana or Nature Property 115,000 gp Formula Cost: 110 gp Time: 30 min. To use this item's powe r, you must first link the item to another alchemical item in hand or in an adjacent square as a standard action. The level of the linked item must be the same as or lower than the level of the twinned flames. Utility Power" Consumable (Standard Action) Effect: You activate the power of the linked alchemical item. You do not need to have line of effect to the item, but you must be within 1 mile of it. Universal Solvent The first alchemists to pursue an ultimate dissolVing r.Jl Z o agent took great precautions against the possibility ~ that the universal solvent would eat its way to the c:::: center of the earth and gradually unmake the founda- U tions of the world. Although the final product proved ~ not to be as effective as they feared, it is still consid· Cl ered a classic of alchemy. :;E Universal Solvent level 10 Common This dear solution can dissolve almost any adhesive. Lvl10 100 gp Alchemical Item Key Skill: Arcana or Thievery Formula Cost: 600 gp Time: 30 min. Utility Power" Consumable (Standard Action) Effect: When you apply this substance to a creature or object in your square or an adjacent square, it destroys any type of mundane bonding agent affecting that creature or object (including sovereign glue). Universal solvent allows a creature immobilized by mun· dane agents such as a kobold slinger's gluepot or an aboleth slime mage's slime burst power to immediately succeed on a saving throw against the effect when it's applied. It does not affect the aftereffects of those substances (such as slime burst's slOWing effect), nor does it have any effect on creatures immobilized by other effects (for example, a ghoul's dow attack). RETURN TO SENDER News of the discovery of the location of the Arkhosian Winter Palace reached two adventuring parties at the same time. As each excavated the rubble in search of an entrance to the buried ruin, a rivalry developed between the Spell blades and the Wild root Wanderers. The Spell blades hired a salamander mercenary to set the Wanderers' dig site on fire. Unfortunately for them, the Wanderers were able to subdue the salamander. They took two slabs of stone and used sovereign glue to hold them together, and then glued the salamander onto this impromptu platform. They then piled vials of alchemist's fire on top of the salamander, and smeared ossip wax on the bottom of the slab to enable it to float through the air. Finally, they stuck a precarious crystal onto the bottom of the slab, connected to a flask of universal solvent. Then they kicked the slab to send it floating over the Spell blades' camp. When those adventurers scrambled out of their tents, their motion caused the precarious crystal to burn through the cork holding in the universal solvent, which dissolved the sovereign glue between the slabs and caused a freed and angry salamander to fall onto the heads of its former employers in a rain offire. CHAP T ER 6 I A dve n t urin8 Gea r u.J I-

ApPENDIX 1: HIRELINGS AND HENCHMEN Adventurers are a cut above the commoners inhabiting the world- they have talent, specialized training, and access to magic that makes them akin to gods among mortals_ Well, maybe not that far, but heroes are something speciaL Who else can beard the dragon in its lair? Who else can survive a trap-laden gauntlet to root out the goblin bandits lurking in the cavern beyond? Who else can put down zombies by the dozens? The thing is, for all that heroes can accomplish beyond most peoples' wildest imagining, adventurers need the common people_ Non-adventuring men and women do the things that heroes are unable or unwilling to do_ What good is a knight without the suit of armor someone else made? How is the paladin going to survive his or her quest without a sword in hand? Horses? Someone has to breed them and train them. And when the adventure is done, when the heroes return, burdened with their spoils, they're bound to be craving a hot meal and warm bed that only the sleepy little communities on the frontier can provide. The mundane tasks fall to the ordinary people to handle, and without those people, there's little point to squaring off against monsters and plundering their vaults. Commoners are content to leave the adventuring business to the professionals. They happily take their coins and provide services in return. They listen to the tales of high adventure, danger, and daring, living through the stories the adventurers tell, but they are also relieved to go about their lives without haVing to follow in those people's steps or face those same challenges. That said, with the right motivation, these common people might be coaxed from relative safety into a wider world of adventure, accompanying the heroes on their quests and lending aid, albeit in minor ways, to help the heroes accomplish their goals. These companions are the henchmen, the lackeys, the hirelings, and the servants. For the right price, they can lend their unique talents to an adventurer's cause. Hirelings and henchmen have been part of the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS@ game since the beginning. In older editions, henchmen gave adventuring parties a bit of extra muscle, took the brunt of enemy attacks, and gave the heroes the extra help they needed to achieve their objectives and survive their challenges. Thus far, 4th Edition has nibbled on the henchmen concept by offering different avenues for characters to acquire companions. Certain classes, such as the beastmaster ranger and the sentinel druid, have pets. APPENDIX 1 [ Hirelinas and Henchtnen Dungeon Master's Guide 2 provides extensive rules for creating companion characters, either from scratch or by adapting an existing creature to fill this role. While these options are sufficient for most groups, there's something missing-an element ofleadership that harkens back to the classic experiences of the game. This appendix provides an expansion to the existing options that cover hirelings and henchmen and puts in your hands the ability to gather and hire the nonplayer characters you need. The optional rules in this section add a level of complexity that might not be suitable for every group. For large parties, hirelings and henchmen add to the challenges posed by having so many people around the table. Novices might find extra characters in the mix too difficult to manage, and adding several nonplayer characters can dilute other characters' roles in the party. On the other hand, hirelings and henchmen can solve some of the problems that arise from having too few players in the group. They can step into missing roles, bolster characters haVing a tough time performing in their role, and act as special rewards for roleplaying or fulfilling a quest. They can serve as a development from the campaign's unfolding story. Before you put this material to use, check with your Dungeon Master to ensure that a companion is suitable for your group. HIRELINGS The young man who carries your torch lights the way down the dungeon corridor. The valet cleans and mends your clothes, ensuring that all the final preparations are made before you meet the king. The mercenary guard watches over the camp at night, letting you get your rest before you continue your hunt for the troll that made off with the merchant's daughter. These characters are all hirelings: men and women in your employ whose efforts make your travels and missions easier. Hirelings are similar to companion characters in that they accompany you, but they differ in the capabilities they possess. Hirelings are minor characters and thus do not prOVide the same degree of support a companion character can provide. Where a companion character might work for a share of the treasure, a hireling is directly in your employ and works for a fee. Gaining a Hireling You don't have to hunt for hirelings. Go to just about any settlement, and you're bound to find some enterprising entrepreneur who has a talent you might find usefuL Any number of mercenaries, porters, and similar kinds are ready and willing to work for a price. To gain a hireling, you have to find a willing servant and

meet the hireling's fee. At the DM's discretion, you might have to succeed on a skill check to convince the character to accompany you, with Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Streetwise being the most common skills. Alternatively, you might find a hireling as part of treasure. As strange as this might sound, a monster might keep any number of potential hirelings as prisoners. It's no stretch to think a dragon might keep a minstrel on hand to entertain it, or an artist to paint its portrait, or a mercenary in the larder to gobble up when cows and sheep grow scarce. FOR THE DM: ABUSE Coin ensures a hireling's loyalty up to a point. Just as an adventurer isn't likely to put up with abuse from his or her employer, a hireling isn't likely to stick around if mistreated. Other hirelings can grow wise to a callous master who carelessly sends servants to their doom. You don't have to track attitudes or a list of offenses. Just think about the adventurer's personality and how well he or she treats the hireling. If you can't imagine someone putting up with that treatment, have the hireling make his or her exit at the first opportunity. As word gets out about the adventurer, you might increase the skill check DCs reqUired to hire these followers. Hireling Statistics Regardless of a hireling's occupation, all have certain common statistics. Level: Hirelings exist at every level. Heroic tier hirelings are the common kinds one expects to find pretty much anywhere people gather. Paragon tier hirelings are experts in their fields. Finding nonplayer characters at this level of accomplishment who are willing to work for someone else can be hard. Epic tier hirelings are tremendously rare; they are the greatest crafters and artists in their respective fields. Such characters have plans, ventures, and goals of their own to pursue, so they are never available for hire without the DM's consent. Price: A hireling's price depends on his or her level. The price is generally per day of service. Longterm service can sometimes be gotten at a lower rate or in return for a share of any profit from the expedition or undertaking. Included in the price are the hireling's initial fee, salary, food, equipment, and the materials the hireling might need along the way. It's important to note the price is an abstraction intended to simplify the process of acquiring and maintaining hirelings. Duration: A hireling remains in your service for as long as you keep paying him or her. APPENDIX 1 I Hirelinas and Henchmen Vl l:) Z ....J U.J ex:: :::t:

Hireling Level Varies Medium natural humanoid - HP 1; a missed attack never damages a hireling Initiative - Perception +0 AC level + 14, Other Defenses level + 12 Speed 6 STANDARD ACTIONS CD Melee Attack (weapon) + At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); level + 5 vs. AC Hit: One-halfthe hireling's level + 3 damage. @) Ranged Attack (weapon) + At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); level + 5 vs. AC Hit: One-half the hireling's level + 3 damage. Occupation When you employ a hireling, you do so to gain a particular service or benefit. These benefits are tied to the hireling's occupation. Choose one occupation and add its traits to the hireling's statistics block. Hireling Level Varies A dutijitl servant attends to the little complications that interfere with your adventures. Lvi 1 15 gp Lvi 2 20gp Lvi 3 25 gp Lvi 4 35 gp Lvi 5 40 gp Lvi 6 70gp Lvi 7 100 gp Lvi 8 135 gp Lvi 9 170 gp Lvi 10 200gp Minor Character Property Lvi 11 Lvi 12 Lvi 13 Lvi 14 Lvi 15 Lvi 16 Lvi 17 Lvi 18 Lvi 19 Lvi 20 350 gp Lvi 21 9,000 gp 520 gp Lvi 22 13,000 gp 680gp Lvi 23 17,000 gp 840gp Lvi 24 21,000 gp 1,000 gp Lvi 25 25,000 gp 1,800 gp Lvi 26 45,000 gp 2,600 gp Lvi 27 65,000 gp 3,400 gp Lvi 28 85,000 gp 4,200 gp Lvi 29 105,000 gp 5,000 gp Lvi 30 125,000 gp You gain the service of a hire ling. The creature is an ally to you and your allies. The hireling can perform one standard action and one move action each turn. It acts after you on your initiative count. The hireling has no healing surges. Beast Handler Cost: Standard These grooms care for your beasts. They can keep your horse in excellent health, your dog fed, and your falcon ready to hunt. TRAITS :0 Beast Handler + Aura 5 All allied beasts in the aura gain a +1 power bonus to Fortitude and Will. Guide Cost: Standard Expeditions into the wilderness can only benefit from a well-trained guide. These hirelings blaze the trail to the heroes' destination. The cost doubles if the guide is leading you into dangerous territory. APPEN DIX 1 I Hirelin8s and Hench11len TRAITS :0 Trailblazer + Aura 5 Allies in the aura gain a +2 power bonus to Dungeoneering checks and Nature checks. Level 15: +3 power bonus. Level 25: +4 power bonus. Linkboy Cost: Standard Few fighters are willing to sacrifice a two-handed weapon or their shield to haul the party's torch. When no one is able or willing to attend to the group's light, a linkboy provides an extra pair ofhands. TRAITS :0 Torch + Aura 5 Squares in the aura are illuminated with bright light. Mercenary Cost: Standard x 3 Mercenaries are the perfect soldiers for hire, ready to lend their swords and shields prOVided the pay is right. TRAITS :0 Veteran Warrior + Aura 1 Allies in the aura gain a +1 power bonus to AC and Reflex. In addition, the hireling gains a +2 power bonus to AC and Reflex. STANDARD ACTIONS CD Melee Attack (weapon) + At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); level + 5 vs. AC Hit: The hireling's level + 3 damage. @) Ranged Attack (weapon) + At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); level + 5 vs. AC Hit: The hireling's level + 3 damage. Pilot Cost: Standard x 2 Whether commanding the mariner's wheel on a greatship, driving a wagon team, or guiding an airship to dock, a seasoned pilot is an asset to any crew. TRAITS Seasoned Pilot When used as a pilot, the hireling grants the vehicle a +1 bonus to the vehicle's speed. Porter Cost: Standard Porters make their living hauling stuff. They are useful hirelings since they can heft considerable weight and still reach places a mule or horse could not. TRAITS Strong The hireling's normal load is 75 pounds, heavy load is 150 pounds, and maximum drag load is 375 pounds. Level 1-5: Base speed 5, travel 6 hours per day. Level 6-10: Base speed 6, travel 8 hours per day. Level 11-30: Base speed 7, travel 10 hours per day.

Sage Cost: Standard x 3 Sages are experts in a particular field ofknowledge. Few sages venture from their personal domains, though if you can convince one to accompany you, his or her knowledge is yours for the asking. TRAITS (; Sage Knowledge .. Aura 5 Choose one knowledge skill for the sage: Arcana, Dungeoneering, History, Nature, or Religion. Allies in the aura gain a +2 power bonus to skill checks involving the chosen skill. Level 15: +3 power bonus. Level 25: +4 power bonus. STANDARD ACTIONS lore Use" Daily Effect: One ally gains a +5 item bonus to the next skill check made involving the skill chosen for saae knowledae. Scribe Cost: Standard x 2 Limners and copyists, these trained individuals are adept at recording and copying whatever you put in front of them. TRAITS Scribe Document During a short or an extended rest, the hireling copies one page of text or illustrations. It is a rough copy if performed during a short rest or a perfect copy if performed during an extended rest. FOR THE DM: HIRELING TRAITS like companion cha racters, hirelings have traits to help them stand out as more than trap springers and door openers. You don't need extensive details; you need only enough information to give them a little life. Race: A hireling's race does not affect his or her statistics, but it can reveal a lot about personality and appearance. Hirelings favor employers who are friendly to their people. Physical Description: Come up with one or two distinguishing characteristics to make the hireling stand out. Height, weight, and coloring are good places to start, as are interesting elements such as a limp, a squint, boils, or a ruddy compleXion. Personality: Don't worry too much about motivations, secrets, or behaviors when it comes to hirelings. Instead, assign a word to the hire ling to summarize his or her personality, Examples include serious, driven, craven, unhinged, reckless, or loyal. Seasoned Crew Member Cost: Standard These able sailors can ensure that a ship reaches a distant port safe and sound. TRAITS Able Crew If a vehicle's crew is entirely made up of seasoned crew member hirelings, the vehicle gains a +1 bonus to all defenses. Spy Cost: Standard x 3 Spies can keep you supplied with the information you need when you need it most. TRAITS Espionage The controlling hero gains a +2 power bonus to Streetwise checks. Level 15: +3 power bonus. Level 25: +4 power bonus. Valet Cost: Standard Skilled valets are indispensable to those moving through high society because these servants know how to make you look and act your best when you're dealing with the rich and powerful. TRAITS 1) Etiquette .. Aura 3 When dressed in suitable clothing, the controlling hero and all allies gain a +2 power bonus to Diplomacy checks while in the aura. Level 15: +3 power bonus. Level 25: +4 power bonus. PETS A pet can be an interesting way to develop your character's personality and appearance. A house cat, a small snake, a raven, or another animal adds color and can reveal something about the character's interests. If you're interested in acquiring a companion animal, consider the following options. Class: As of this writing, two classes prOVide animal companions. The first is the beastmaster ranger introduced in Martial Power™ and the second is the sentinel druid from Heroes of the Foraotten KinadomsTM. In both cases, you get the benefit of a companion creature, with supporting powers to let you coordinate your efforts. If you're not inclined to play either class, you can use the hybrid rules from Player's Handbook® 3 to pick up the Beast Mastery class feature and add to the class you want to play. Familiars: Another option, specifically for arcane characters, is to take the Arcane Familiar feat from APP E NDIX 1 I HirelinBs an d He nchmen I.I'l rW..J 0..

Arcane PowerTM. In addition to cats, falcons, and serpents, you can also pick up strange pets such as bound demons and book imps. Any arcane class can take the feat, so if you have a multiclass or hybrid class, this is a great option. Companion Character: With your DM's permission, you can use the companion character rules from Dungeon Master's Guide® 2 to turn a monster into a companion character. This is a good solution if you have a smaller than normal party since the pet counts as a full member of the party. Pet Background: Perhaps the easiest solution to acquiring a pet is to add it to your character sheet as a background element. A pet as a background element abstracts a creature with no significant statistics or ability to affect a combat's outcome in a meaningful way. A pet snake, a trained raven, a house cat, and a small dog are all suitable creatures for this option. Think about how you acquired the pet and how you feel about it. Come up with at least one way the pet helped you in the past. And don't forget to name it! If you choose the pet as your major background benefit, work with your DM to find an appropriate skill. A raven trained to filch small objects might grant a +2 bonus to Thievery checks. A small, vicious dog might grant a +2 bonus to Intimidate checks or Perception checks. A chatty parrot or raven might grant a +2 bonus to Bluff checks. HENCHMEN Where hirelings are minor supporting characters, lending aid to an adventuring group in small ways, henchmen are nearly full-fledged characters in their own right, whose presence in the adventuring group gives the heroes an edge. These characters are counted as full members of the adventuring party. Henchmen have many of the same features, traits, and powers available to player characters, but simplified to allow a player to manage a henchman at the same time that he or she plays a primary character. Henchmen, also known as companion characters, can take many forms. Some might be beasts and monsters, being creatures drawn from the Monster Manual® or Monster Vault™ books. Others are akin to characters, using the same kinds of powers available to heroes. A few might be unique, crafted by a DM or drawn from a published supplement such as the ones presented below. Gaining a Henchman Adding a henchman to your adventuring party can be as simple as posting a notice in a local tavern or as complicated as completing a minor quest, negotiating payment, or tracking down the companion in a city, a wilderness setting, or a dungeon. APPENDIX 1 I Hirelinns and Henchmen Companion: Henchmen are best used to fill in missing roles or to take the place of absent players. If the group lacks a leader, you might recruit one to accompany you on your adventurers to improve your chances for success. A companion can be a constant presence in your group or a sporadic one, depending on the game's needs. Employee: Sometimes you might want a little help in taking on a dangerous mission. An extra warrior or striker could make a difference, especially if your group is light in these roles. A henchman can serve an adventuring group in exchange for something, such as coin, but sometimes the henchman might join the party so that he or she can gain the party's help in completing a minor or major quest. Employees are not open-ended allies. Their contracts stipulate an end point for their services. If a henchman's compensation is monetary, the fee equals one-fifth of the value of a magic item equal to the party's level. Ally: During your hero's adventures, he or she is bound to encounter friendly and helpful characters. You might make a short-term alliance against a common enemy, join forces with a rival adventuring group, or rescue an important character who chooses to fight at your side until you reach safety. Creating a Henchman Unlike hirelings, creating a henchman is the DM's job. Dungeon Master's Guide 2 includes the rules the DM needs to turn a monster into a companion character or to create a unique companion. Running a Henchman Although the DM creates the henchman, it falls to you to use the character in combat and skill challenges. Outside combat, the DM controls the character, playing the character in accordance with his or her personality, motives, and secrets. In combat, the DM might hand off the character to a player to run. Henchmen in Play Remember a couple of things when using henchmen in your group. First, henchmen don't need magic items and thus should never be included in magic item distribution. Second, henchmen earn experience points just as you do and thus earn a full share ofXP. Finally, henchmen gain levels and advance at the same rate as other characters in the group.

Sample Henchmen If you need a henchman in a pinch, you can use any of the following characters. Anaxana Reckless Battle Maae Anaxana is an eladrin magician-a reckless battle mage hungry for vengeance against her people's enemies. She has a spare frame to the point of being gaunt. Her features are severe, with a long nose that gives her a hawkish appearance. She prefers simple gray robes and keeps a longsword in a scabbard on her weapon belt. Missions involving hunting down and killing orcs or drow are the easiest ways to recruit Anaxana to the group. She hasn't a kind word for these monsters and delights in fighting them. She might linger with a party for missions that don't involve hunting her enemies but moves on ifher bloodlust isn't sated. Anaxana Level 2 Controller Medium fey humanoid, eladrin - HP 27; Bloodied 13; Initiative +4 Healing Surges 7; Surge Value 6 AC 15, Fortitude 15, Reflex 17, Will 14 Perception +0 Speed 6 Low·light vision Saving Throws +5 aga inst charm effects .i'a~;'iJ9·iij·li·h' CD Longsword (weapon) .. At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 1 damage. @ Magic Missile (force, implement) .. At-Will Effect: Ranged 20 (one creature). The ta rget takes 7 force damage. ~ Burning Hands (fire, implement) .. Encounter Attack: Close blast 5 (creatures in the blast); +6 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d6 + 5 fire damage. Miss: Half damage. ~t- Freezing Burst (cold, implement) .. At-Will Attack: Area burst 1 within 10 (creatures in ;he burst); +6 vs. Reflex Hit: 1 d6 + 5 cold damage, and Anaxana can slide the target 1 square. MOVE ACTIONS Fey StepJ!eleportation) .. Encounter Effect: Anaxana teleports up to 5 squares. . . . Shield" Encounter Tri88er: An enemy hits Anaxana. Effect (Immediate Interrupt): Anaxana gains a +4 power bonus to AC and Reflex until the end of he r next turn. Wand of Accuracy .. Encounter Tri88er: Anaxana starts her turn. Effect (Free Action): Anaxana gains a +3 bonus to a Single attack roll using a wand as an implement made before the end of her turn. Skills Arcana +10, History +10, Insight +5 Str 10 (+1) Dex 17 (+4) Wis 8 (+0) Con 13 (+2) Int 19 (+5) Cha 10 (+1) Alignment unaligned Languages Common, Elven Equipment robes, longsword, wand, adventurer's kit Sir Michael Everdawn Dis8raced Kniaht Once a promising knight, renowned for his skill at arms and his fine pedigree, Michael fell from grace and is now a pariah in his own lands. He never speaks of how he reached his present state, though his overindulgence in spirits suggests a predilection for drunkenness that might have played a part in his fall. Michael is a heavyset man with a paunch, red nose, and rheumy eyes. Despite his haggard appearance, he remains strong, powerful, and ferocious in battle. His battered armor shows signs of previous contests, and the faded heraldry, a rampant boar, hints at the better life he once lived. The disgraced knight craves redemption. He eagerly joins any adventuring group that can promise him a chance to restore his name. W hile involved in a noble pursuit, he stays clear of the drink until idleness and frustration overcome him. Sir Michael Everdawn Level 2 Defender Medium natural humanoid, human - HP 35; Bloodied 17; Initiative +1 Healing Surges 11 ; Surge Value 8 AC 21, Fortitude 18, Reflex 14, Will 16 Perception +2 Speed 5 STANDARD ACTIONS CD longsword (weapon) .. At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 1 d8 + 5 damage, and Michael marks the target until the end of his next turn. + Tide of Iron (weapon) .. At-Will Requirement: Michael must be using a shield. Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 1 d8 + 5 damage, and Michael can push the target 1 square, and then shift 1 square into the space the target last occupied. MINOR ACTIONS ~ Glowering Threat .. Encounter Effect: Close burst 2 (enemies in the burst). Until the end of Michael's next turn, each target takes a -5 penalty to attack rolls against any creature other than Michael. RIGGERED ACTIONS Heroic Effort .. Encounter Tri88er: Michael misses with an attack or fails a saving throw. Effect (No Action): Michael gains a +4 bonus to the attack roll or saving throw. Power Strike" Encounter Tri88er: Michael hits an enemy with lon8sword. Effect (No Action): The triggering attack deals 1 d8 extra damage. Skills Athletics +10, Endurance +8, Intimidate +8 Str18(+5) Dex11 (+1) Wis 12 (+2) Con 14 (+3) Int 8 (+0) Cha 14 (+3) Alignment good languages Common, Giant Equipment plate armor, heavy shield, longsword, adventurer's kit APPEN DIX 1 I Hirelin8s and Hen chme n Z I..U ~ 1: U Z I..U 1:

Cadra Forgesworn Zealous Priestess Cadra Forgesworn is a devout follower of Moradin. She's so zealous she comes off as a fanatic. She left her clan, not to seek fortune or glory, but to champion her patron in the world. As with most dwarves, Cadra is short and stocky. Her determination makes up for any shortcomings in physical might, and when committed to a cause, she is as tenacious as a troll with a fresh carcass in its maw. She shaved her head and inked her scalp with battle scenes described in the Book ojSpite, a holy tome favored by Moradin's more militant priests. Cadra Forgesworn Level 2 Leader Medium natural humanoid, dwarf - HP 34; Bloodied 17; Healing Surges 10; Surge Value 8 AC 17, Fortitude 15, Reflex 13, Will 17 Speed 5 Saving Throws +5 against poison effects TRAITS Stand Your Ground Initiative +2 Perception +5 Low-light vision Cadra can move 1 square less than the effect specifies when subjected to a pull, a push, or a slide. In addition, when an effect would cause Cadra to fall prone, she can make a saving throw to avoid falling prone. STANDARD ACTIONS CD Warhammer (weapon) • At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +8 vs. AC Hit: 1 d1 0 + 1 damage. @ Throwing Hammer (weapon) • At-Will Attack: Ranged 5/10 (one creature); +8 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 2 damage. + Blessing of Wrath (weapon). At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +8 vs. AC Hit: 1d10 + 5 damage. Effect: Cadra or one ally within 5 squares of her gains a +3 power bonus to his or her next damage roll against the target before the end of his or her next turn. ::r Sanctuary. Encounter Effect: Ranged 10 (Cadra or one creature). The target gains a +5 bonus to all defenses until the target attacks or until the end of Cadra's next turn. ~ Divine Glow (implement, radiant) • Encounter Attack: Close blast 3 (enemies in the blast); +6 vs. Reflex Hit: 1d8 + 5 radiant damage. Effect: Allies in the blast gain a +2 power bonus to attack rolls until the end of Cadra's next turn. MINOR ACTIONS ~ Healing Word (healing) • 2/Encounter Effect: Close burst 5 (Cadra or one ally in the burst). The target spends a healing surge. Dwarven Resilience. Encounter Effect: Cadra uses her second wind. Skills Dungeoneering +10, Endurance +11, Heal +10 Str 11 (+1) Dex 12 (+2) Wis 19 (+5) Con 17 (+4) Int 8 (+0) Cha 10 (+1) Alignment lawful good Languages Common, Dwarven Equipment scale armor, warhammer, 2 throWing hammers, holy symbol, adventurer's kit APPENDIX 1 I Hirelin8s and Henchmen More than anything, Cadra hopes to leave a mark on the world, as Moradin commands. How she will do so has not yet revealed itself. She believes the adventurer's life is the surest way to achieve this end. She has worked with other groups before, and each association ended badly. Her abrasive personality could be to blame. Ghesh Mercenary Captain A veteran officer from a disbanded mercenary company, Ghesh is now a sword-for-hire, selling his services to anyone who pays him the highest price. Ghesh cuts an impressive figure. He's tall, muscled, and covered in glittering bronze scales. He keeps his equipment in impeccable condition, cleaning and oiling his mail and spear every night before bedding down. Command comes easy to Ghesh, and he's not one to keep his opinions to himself. He believes his Ghesh Level 2 Leader Medium natural humanoid, dragonborn - HP 30; Bloodied 15; Healing Surges 8; Surge Value 8 AC 17, Fortitude 17, Reflex 13, Will 15 Speed 5 TRAITS Dragon born Fury Initiative +2 Perception +4 Ghesh gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls while he is bloodied STANDARD ACTIONS CD Longspear (weapon) • At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +8 vs. AC Hit: 1d1 0 + 5 damage. + Viper's Strike (weapon) • At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +8 vs. AC Hit: 1d10 + 5 damage. Effect: If the target shifts before the start of Ghesh's next turn, it provokes an opportunity attack from an ally of Ghesh's choice_ + Hammer and Anvil (weapon) • Encounter Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +8 vs. Reflex Hit: 1 d1 0 + 5 damage. One ally adjacent to the target uses a free action to make a melee basic attack against the target. The ally gains a +3 bonus to his or her damage roll. MOVE ACTIONS ::r Knight's Move. Encounter Effect: Ranged 10 (one ally). The target takes a move action. MINOR ACTIONS *_ Healing Word (healing) • 2/Encounter Effect: Close burst 5 (Ghesh or one ally in the burst). The target spends a healing surge. <~ Dragon Breath (fire) • Encounter Attack: Close blast 3 (creatures in the blast); +6 vs. Reflex Hit: 1 d6 + 2 fire damage. Skills History +6, Intimidate +9 Str 19 (+5) Dex 12 (+2) Con 13 (+2) Int 10 (+1) Wts 8(+0) Cha 16 (+4) Alignment lawful good languages Common, Draconic Equipment chainmail, longspear, adventurer's kit

battlefield experience gives him the wisdom to advise his comrades in all things, from the way they grip their weapons to the tactics they use in combat. Some people find Ghesh domineering, though none deny his expertise. FOR THE DM: USING THE SAMPLE HENCHMEN The henchmen included here are set at 2nd level. Use the rules in Dunaeon Master's Guide 1 to increase the level as needed. The descriptive elements give you enough to get started with these characters, but don't feel bound by them. Alter them as needed. Finally, be sure to give the character a secret to help ground the character in the campaign. Rook Shadowy Killer Z I.I.J :z ::r: u Rook is the quintessential product of the drow city z Erelhei-Cinlu. On its treacherous streets, Rook learned ~ to survive by any means he had, cultivating his natural talents and his knack for knifework to carve a path to freedom. With the city years behind him, Rook has become an assassin who asks no questions and does the job with a professional detachment. Not especially tall and rather spare of frame, Rook conceals himself with a hooded gray cloak and dark clothing. He fights with blades and crossbow from hidden positions to take his enemies by surprise. He regards every situation as a potentially violent one, so he keeps to himself when not on a mission. Rook makes no apologies for who he is and what he does. He is a pragmatist and never hesitates to do what it takes to get the job done. Rook does not make friends. Instead, he takes clients. Every arrangement is a business agreement, and he expects payment for the work he does. Rook Level 2 Striker Medium fey humanoid, drow - HP 19; Bloodied 14; Healing Surges 7; Surge Value 7 AC 17, Fortitude 13, Reflex 17, Will 1 5 Speed 5 STANDARD ACTIONS <D Dagger (weapon) .. At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 1d4 + 5 damage. @ Hand Crossbow (weapon)" At-Will Attack: Ranged 1 5/30 (one creature); +8 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 5 damage. + ::r Sly Flourish .. At-Will Initiative +5 Perception +1 Darkvision Effect: Rook uses daBBer or hand crossbow, and gains a +3 bonus to the damage roll. ::r Impact Shot (weapon) .. Encounter Attack: Ranged 15/30 (one creature); +8 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 5 damage, and Rook can push the target 1 square. MOVE ACTIONS Tumble" Encounter Effect: Rook shifts up to his speed. MINOR ACTIONS .~ Cloud of Darkness .. Encounter Effect: Close burst 1. The burst creates a cloud of darkness that remains in place until the end of Rook's next turn. The cloud blocks line of Sight, squares within it are totally obscured, and creatures entirely within it are blinded until they exit. Rook is immune to these effects. TRIGGERED ACTIONS Striker's Edge .. At-Will (l/turn) TriBBer: Rook hits an enemy granting combat advantage to him. Effect (No Action): The triggering attack deals 1 d6 extra damage. Skills Acrobatics +10, Intimidate +9, Stealth +10 Str 10 (+1) Dex 19 (+5) Wis 11 (+1) Con 11 (+1) Int 10 (+1) Cha 16 (+4) Alignment unaligned Languages Common, Elven Equipment leather armor, 1 daggers, hand crossbow, 10 bolts, adventurer's kit APPENDIX 1 I HirelinBs and Henchmen

ApPENDIX 2: MAGIC ITEM STORIES In fantasy fiction, the protagonists often acquire enchanted objects that move the story forward. In some campaigns, however, magic items are often irrelevant to the plot, tending only to improve characters' mechanical abilities. Yet even the lowliest magic items are created for a purpose. Artisans do not labor to craft an item of exceptional quality without intending for it to accomplish something extraordinary. Every magic item, even a +1 ma8ie da88er, has a story, whether or not the party ever learns it. Although it's certainly not necessary to define the history of all the items the characters obtain, every story created for an item adds color to the campaign world and the shared experience of the DM and the players. Using the rules for adding item levels as treasure (see the sidebar), the same +1 ma8ie da88er a character acquires at the beginning of his or her career can become the world-renowned weapon he or she wields as part of his or her epic destiny. Such an item deserves a story. The following lists present some sample story hooks and details that you can add to standard magic items to provide adventure ideas or to inspire a quest. You can also create your own hooks customized to your campaign setting. SAMPLE STORY HOOKS The item was or is •.. 1. Stolen from a king's treasury 2. Owned by a priest who sold his soul to devils 3_ Found in the severed hand of its former owner 4. Inherited from a friend or a stranger 5. Once the property of a mighty war chief 6. Created to prevent a war; started one instead 7. A gift between lovers- a token of affection 8. The triumphant life's work of an amateur crafter 9. Sought after by powerful evil creatures 10_ Created by a god 11. The container for a soul 12. One of a pair that seek to be reunited 13. Extraordinarily lucky or unlucky for its bearer 14. Made on another plane of existence 15. Once used to defeat a supremely powerful foe 16. Under constant surveillance by otherworldly beings 17. Occasionally wet with blood or tears 18. Part of a rare series of items crafted by a fabled smith 19. Owned by someone who is now a jealous ghost 20. Prophesied to cause either disaster or peace APPENDIX 3 I Item Levels as Treasure SAMPLE ITEM DETAILS The item (is) ..• 1. Covered in runes viewable only by starlight 2. Completely transparent 3. Etched with the symbol of a devil or demon 4. Inscribed with a date in the future 5. Topped with a gemlike eye that watches the bearer 6. Heavier than it should be 7. Well used; nicks and scratches score its surface 8_ Well made; has been passed down over generations 9. Festooned with totemic feathers or tokens 10. Resonates continuously with low, unpleasant sound 11. Barbed and sharp-edged 12. Always looks dirty 13. Seems exceptionally fragile or delicate 14. Wholly or partially constructed from bone or flesh 15. Gives off a faint glow that cannot be dimmed 16. Exudes a fragrant or pungent odor when it is used 17. Permanently bloodstained 18. Inscribed with a famous name 19. Recites a verse or riddle when used 20. Always looks dean ApPENDIX 3: ITEM LEVELS AS TREASURE Sometimes a magic item enters the campaign at the correct level, but a player wants her character to hold onto that item at higher levels rather than replacing it with a newer, higher-level item. You can allow the character to invest monetary treasure in Enchant Magic Item rituals to increase the item's power. Or, alternatively, item level increases can be given out as treasure. Item levels granted as treasure follow the same guidelines as normal magic item placement. An increase in an item's enhancement bonus should be given out only when the characters have attained an appropriate level to earn magic items with the improved bonus. MAGIC ITEM SCALING Item level Enhancement Bonus 1-5 6 -10 11-15 16-20 21-25 26-30 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +6 The value of an item's enhancement bonus increase equals the difference in cost between the item's lower-level form and its higher-level form. This value should be primarily subtracted from the magic items given out in an adventure, with only a small portion coming from gold or other monetary treasure.

For example, a character who has +1 delver's armor wants to increase the effectiveness of that armor rather than seek another set of more powerful armor. According to the table, that character should be of a level suitable for using 6th-level items before such an increase can occur. The difference in cost between +1 delver's armor and +2 delver's armor in the Player's Handbook is 2,720 gp-roughly the cost of a 7th-level magic item (2,600 gp). The item level can thus replace a 7th-level item normally placed as treasure, with the additional 120 gp taken out of monetary treasure. Likewise, the increase in the armor's enhancement bonus could partially take the place of an 8th-level treasure (worth 3,400 gp), with the difference (680 gp) made up by a 3rd-level magic item of use to the party. This system can even be used to turn mundane items into magic items. A character's nonmagical heirloom longsword might be empowered by exposure to magic or a heroic deed to become a signature magic weapon. ApPENDIX 4: ITEM LISTS The follOWing section contains master lists for all the magic items in Mordenkainen's MaBnificent Emporium. Items are sorted by level, by rarity (common, uncommon, or rare), and by type. Each level header indicates the price of items of that level. Each entry includes the page number on which the item can be found. Weapons and armor entries include information about the category of each item. Common items sell for 20 percent of their purchase value, while uncommon items sell for 50 percent of their purchase value. Rare items are highly prized, and sell for their full purchase value. Levell 360 gp COMMON TOME Magic tome +1 COMMON WONDROUS ITEMS Eternal chalk Restful bedroll UNCOMMON WONDROUS ITEM Mountebank's deck UNCOMMON CONSUMABLE (20 gp each) Potion of cure light wounds 52 83 88 87 96 Level 2 520 gp UNCOMMON ROD Rod ofrevenge +1 COMMON ARMOR Armor of escape +1 Robe of useful items +1 COMMON WEAPONS Lesser cloaked weapon +1 Weapon of long range +1 COMMON ROD Rod of smiting +1 COMMON TOTEM Totem of trailblazing +1 COMMON WAND Apprentice's wand +1 COMMON ARMS SLOT ITEM Tusk shield COMMON HEAD SLOT ITEM Reading spectacles COMMON NECK SLOT ITEMS Amulet of life protection +1 Lesser badge of the berserker +1 Any Cloth Any Any ranged, any thrown COMMON WONDROUS ITEMS Backpack of concealment Hunter's flint COMMON CONSUMABLE (25 gp each) Oil of lasting flame Level 3 680 gp UNCOMMON ARMOR 48 12 17 29 35 49 54 54 62 70 71 74 80 86 99 Ebon armor +1 Chain, scale, plate 14 UNCOMMON WEAPONS Seeker weapon +1 Shock spear +1 Weapon of accuracy +1 Weapon of surrounding +1 UNCOMMON STAFF Staff of withering +1 UNCOMMON WAND Wand of fear +1 COMMON ORB Orb of forceful magic +1 COMMON WAND Wand of inevitability +1 Any ranged, any t hrown Spear Any ranged, any thrown Any melee A PP EN DI X 4 I Ite lll Lists 31 31 35 35 51 55 45 56 Vl ~ 1..1..1 fM ....i 1..1..1 > 1..1..1 ....i

COMMON ARMS SLOT ITEM UNCOMMON ARMOR Vanguard's shield 62 Armor of the charging wind +1 Cloth, leather, 13 COMMON NECK SLOT ITEM hide Doppelganger armor +1 Any 14 Periapt of health+ 1 75 COMMON WONDROUS ITEM UNCOMMON AMMUNITION (50 gp each) Floating lantern 84 Shadowshaft ammunition +1 37 Shiver-strike ammunition +1 37 Level 4 840 gp UNCOMMON TOTEM Totem of thorns +1 53 RARE ROD Rod of absorption +1 47 UNCOMMON WONDROUS ITEM Chime of opening 81 RARE WAND Wand offrost +1 56 UNCOMMON CONSUMABLES (50 gp each) Elixir of clairvoyance 91 RARE HEAD SLOT ITEM Elixir of protection from evil 94 Exceptional fi)cctotum helm 67 Elixir of treasure finding 94 UNCOMMON ARMOR Potion of clarity 95 Wintersnap armor +1 Any 17 Scroll of protection 101 Vial of darkness 101 UNCOMMON WEAPONS lifestealer weapon +1 Any melee 29 COMMON WONDROUS ITEMS Warning weapon +1 Any 33 Enchanted reins 82 Way-leader weapon +1 Spear 33 Instant campsite 86 Weapon of defense +1 Any melee 34 COMMON CONSUMABLES (50 gp each) Weapon of sub'11Jssion +1 Any melee 34 Crypts pawn potton 90 UNCOMMON KI FOCUS Elixir of aptitude 90 Body of fire ki focus + 1 44 Unreadable ink 101 UNCOMMON ORB Orb Level 6 1,800 gp of relentless sympathy +1 46 UNCOMMON STAFFS RARE HANDS SLOT ITEM Staff of command +1 50 life-draining gauntlets 66 Staff of striking +1 50 RARE HEAD SLOT ITEM UNCOMMON ARMS SLOT ITEM Eyes of charming 67 Ranging defender shield 61 UNCOMMON WONDROUS ITEM UNCOMMON WONDROUS ITEM Nolzur's inkwell 88 Guardian's whistle 85 UNCOMMON CONSUMABLE (75 gp each) COMMON HOLY SYMBOL Elixir of invisibility 93 Symbol ofthe sun +1 43 COMMON TOME Magic tome +2 52 Level 5 1,000 gp COMMON FEET SLOT ITEM RARE ARMOR Shoes of water walking 64 Gloaming armor +1 Cloth, leather, 15 COMMON WAIST SLOT ITEM hide Baldric of time 78 RARE WEAPON COMMON WONDROUS ITEM Weapon of speed +1 Any ranged, 35 Climber's rope 81 any thrown RARE TOTEM COMMON CONSUMABLES (75 gp each) Elixir of climbing 92 Totem ofthe woodlands +1 54 Lesser elixir of dragon breath 95 RARE HEAD SLOT ITEM Trackless ashes 101 Helm of seven deaths 69 APPENDI X 4 I I t em L ists

Vl Level 7 2,600 gp Level 8 3,400 gp :;i! w RARE WAND RARE WEAPON fWand of wonder +2 57 Frost brand weapon +2 Any melee 26 00 ..J RARE WAIST SLOT ITEM RARE WANDS w Belt of dwarvenkind 79 Wimd of conjuring +2 55 > u.J Wand of lightning +2 56 ..J RARE WONDROUS ITEM Map of unseenJ ands 87 RARE WONDROUS ITEM UNCOMMON ARMOR Crystal ball 81 Armor of dogged grit +2 Chain, scale, plate 12 UNCOMMON ARMOR UNCOMMON WEAPON Ebon armor +2 Chain, scale, plate 14 Giantslayer weapon +2 Any melee 27 UNCOMMON WEAPONS UNCOMMON ORB Seeker weapon +2 Any ranged, 31 Orb of enduringmagic +2 45 any thrown Shock spear +2 Spear 31 UNCOMMON ROD Weapon of accuracy +2 Any ranged, 35 Rod of revenge +2 48 any thrown UNCOMMON STAFF Weapon of surrounding +2 Any melee 35 Staff of the viper +2 50 UNCOMMON AMMUNITION (125 gp each) UNCOMMON FEET SLOT ITEM Reaving ammunition +2 37 Boots of elvenkind 63 UNCOMMON HOLY SYMBOL UNCOMMON WONDROUS ITEMS Candle of invocation +2 42 Bottled smoke 80 UNCOMMON KI FOCUS Decanter of endless water 82 Tidal wave ki focus +2 45 Pearl of power 88 UNCOMMON ROD UNCOMMON CONSUMABLE (100 gp each) Rod of death +2 48 Nolzur's marvelous pigments 99 UNCOMMON STAFF COMMON ARMOR Staff of withering +2 51 Armor of!!.sca(l!!' +2 Any 12 UNCOMMON WAND Robe of useful items +2 Cloth 17 Wand offear +2 55 COMMON WEAPONS UNCOMMON ARMS SLOT ITEM lesser cloaked weapon +2 Any 29 Greater storm shield 60 Weapon oflong range +2 Any ranged, 35 any thrown Twilight shield 62 COMMON ROD UNCOMMON CONSUMABLES (125 gp each) Rod of sf!\Jting ±-2 49 Dust of disappearance 98 Elixir of chameleon power 91 COMMON TOTEM Elixir of defense 92 Totem oftrailblazing +2 54 Elixir of levitation 93 COMMON WAND Oil of red flame 99 A(lprentice's wand +2 54 COMMON ARMOR COMMON HEAD SLOT ITEM Fishscale armor +2 Hide, scale 15 Crown of leaves 67 COMMON WEAPON COMMON NECK SLOT ITEMS Punishing weapon +2 Any 31 Amulet of life protection +2 _ 71 COMMON ORB lesser badge of the berserker +2 74 Orb offorceful magic +2 45 COMMON TOME Tome of undeniable might +2 53 A PP END IX 4 I It e m Lists

COMMON WAND UNCOMMON HANDS SLOT ITEM Wand of inevitability +2 56 Gauntlets of remote action 65 COMMO N FEET SLOT ITEM UNCOMMON NECK SLOT ITEM Shoes of the tireless gait 64 Sneak's cloak +2 75 COMMON NECK SLOT ITEM UNCOMMON WONDROUS ITEM Periapt of health +2 75 Elven chain shirt 82 COMMON CONSUMABLES (115 gp each) UNCOMMON CONSUMABLES (160 gp each) Elixir of accuracy 90 Elixir of giant strength 93 Elixir of water breathing 95 Potion of regeneration 97 Powder of appearance 99 COMMON HOLY SYMBOL Symbol ofthe sun +2 43 Level 9 4,200 gp COMMON KI FOCUS RARE WEAPON Steadfast stone ki focus +2 44 True dragonslayer weapon +2 Any 32 COMMON NECK SLOT ITEM RARE ROD Brooch of unerring defense +2 71 Rod of absorption +2 47 COMMON WONDROUS ITEMS RARE TOME Endless quiver_ 83 .Manual of puissa!1t skill +2 52 Map of orienteering 87 RARE WAND Wand offrost +2 56 Level 10 5,000 gp RARE FEET SLOT ITEM RARE ARMOR :!}pots of leaping 63 Gloaming armor +2 Cloth, leather, 15 UNCOMMON ARMOR hide Armor of scintillating colors +2 Cloth, leather, n RARE WEAPONS hide, chain Flame tongue weapon +2 Heavy blade, 26 Blending armor +2 Any 13 light blade Shallow grave armor +2 Any 17 Mace of disruption +2 Mace 29 Wintersnap armor +2 Any 17 Weapon of speed +2 Any ranged, 35 UNCOMMON WEAPONS - any thrown lifestea ler weapon +2 Any melee 29 RARE HOLY SYMBOL Stinging spear +2 Spear 32 Necklace of praYE!r beads +2 42 IWarning weapon +2 Any 33 RARE ROD Way-leader weapon +2 Spear 33 Rod of beguiling +2 48 Weapon of defense +2 Any melee 34 Weapon of submission +2 Any melee 34 RARE TOME UNCOMMON KI FOCUS Emerald tome of the devourer +2 51 .ll.\)dy of fire ki focus +2 44 RARE TOTEM UNCOMMON ORB Totem ofthe woodlands +2 54 Orb of relentless sympathy +2 46 RARE CONSUMABLE (200 gp each) UNCOMMON STAFFS Elixir of luck 93 F Staff of command +2 50 UNCOMMON ARMOR Staff of striking +2 50 Armor of the charging wind +2 Cloth, leather, 13 UNCOMMON ARMS SLOT ITEM hide Doppelganger armor +2 Any 14 Gleaming diamond bracers 60 UNCOMMON FEET SLOT ITEMS UNCOMMON AMMUNITION (200 gp each) Boots of levitation 63 Firesight ammunition +2 36 Halfling boots Shadows haft ammunition +2 37 64 Shiver-strike ammunition +2 37 A PPE NDIX 4 I Item Lists

UNCOMMON TOTEM Vl Level 12 13,000 gp 2: Totem of thorns +2 53 w RARE WAND IUNCOMMON NECK SLOT ITEMS Amulet of aranea +2 71 Wand of wonder +3 57 N rCloak of displacement +2 72 UNCOMMON ARMOR ...J Armor of dogged grit +3 Chain, scale, plate 12 I.W UNCOMMON WAIST SLOT ITEM > Hide of worms +3 Leather, hide 16 w Diamond cincture 79 ...J UNCOMMON WONDROUS ITEM UNCOMMON WEAPONS Flask of the veiled horde 83 Giantslayer weapon +3 Any melee 27 Hammer of storms +3 Hammer 28 UNCOMMON CONSUMABLES (200 gp each) UNCOMMON AMMUNITION (500 gp each) Potion of clarity 95 Potion of cure moderate wounds 96 Foe-seeker ammunition +3 36 Potion of lesser haste 97 UNCOMMON ORB Scroll of protection 101 Orb of enduring magic +3 45 COMMON HANDS SLOT ITEM UNCOMMON ROD Gauntlets of swimming and climbing 65 Rod of revenge +3 4 8 COMMON HEAD SLOT ITEM UNCOMMON STAFF Helm of languages 68 Staff of the viper +3 _ 50 COMMON WONDROUS ITEMS UNCOMMON WONDROUS ITEM Lens of discernment 86 Gem of seeing 84 Spymaster's quill 89 UNCOMMON CONSUMABLES (500 gp each) COMMON CONSUMABLES (200 gp each) Elixir of gaseous form 92 Lesser elixir of speed 95 Quaal's feather anchor 100 Potion of invulnerability 97 Quaal's feather sail 100 COMMON ARMOR Level 11 9,000 gp Armor of escape +3 Any 12 UNCOMMON HEAD SLOT ITEM Robe of useful items +3 Cloth 17 Eyes of the eagle 67 COMMON WEAPONS UNCOMMON WAIST SLOT ITEM Lesser cloaked weapon +3 Any 29 Healer's sash 79 Weapon of long range +3 Any ranged, 35 any thrown UNCOMMON WONDROUS ITEM COMMON ROD Unfettered thieves; tools 89 Rod of smiting +3 49 UNCOMMON CONSUMABLE (350 gp each) COMMON TOTEM . Elixir of flying 92 Totem of trailblazing +3 54 COMMON TOME COMMON WAND Magic tome +3 52 Apprentice's wand +3 54 COMMON ARMS SLOT ITEM COMMON NECK SLOT ITEMS Bracers of infinite blades 60 Amulet of life protection +3 71 COMMON WAIST SLOT ITEM Lesser badge of the berserker +3 74 Survivor's belt 80 COMMON RING Lesser ring of feather fall 76 A PP E NDI X 4 I I tem Lists